Around 8,000 Rohingya Muslims have recently sought refuge in Bangladesh, fleeing escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, according to Bangladeshi officials. The violence has intensified due to ongoing clashes between Myanmar’s ruling junta and the Arakan Army, a powerful ethnic militia.
Mohammad Shamsud Douza, a senior official responsible for refugees in Bangladesh, confirmed that most of the Rohingya arrivals have occurred over the past two months. He highlighted the strain on Bangladesh, which is already struggling to accommodate the large refugee population.
The Bangladeshi government plans to hold a cabinet meeting within the next few days to discuss the crisis. Mohammad Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s de-facto foreign minister, acknowledged the country’s sympathy for the Rohingya but stated that it cannot provide additional humanitarian shelter. He also noted that while the border cannot be fully sealed, efforts will be made to prevent further entries.
On August 25, tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh held rallies in camps, marking the seventh anniversary of the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar that forced their exodus. The current influx exacerbates the situation for over one million Rohingya living in overcrowded conditions in southern Bangladesh, with little hope for a return to Myanmar.
The recent violence is the worst the Rohingya have faced since the 2017 crackdown, which the UN described as having genocidal intent. Last month, Hossain called for greater international action and urged countries like India to help address the situation and pressure the Arakan Army to halt attacks.
