Rohingya Refugees Demand Safe Return and Justice Marking Nine Years Since Myanmar Exodus

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, have staged mass protests to mark nine years since the military crackdown that forced them out of neighbouring Myanmar. Representing the world's largest refugee settlement, more than 1.2 million Rohingya are demanding a safe return to their homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state amid worsening conditions.

During the demonstration organized by the United Council of Rohingya (UCR), refugees marked what they termed the 'ninth anniversary of Rohingya Genocide Day' by urging the international community to guarantee security in Rakhine. The majority of refugees fled across the border during a mass exodus in 2017 after a military crackdown was launched by Buddhist-majority Myanmar following an attack by an armed group.

While the Bangladeshi government has attempted repatriation efforts twice, initiatives stalled as refugees refused to return due to ongoing security concerns in Myanmar. Dhaka has confirmed it will not force anyone to go back. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military government stated this month that it would accept the return of more than 300,000 camp residents once security conditions improve, though Bangladesh has disputed these figures and criticized Myanmar's refusal to use the term 'Rohingya' and its labelling of them as 'Bengali'.

Humanitarian conditions in the camps—where over half the residents are children—have steadily deteriorated due to funding cuts and reduced food rations. According to the charity Save the Children, one in three refugees faces crisis levels of hunger or worse. The United Nations has previously characterized the 2017 military crackdown as having 'genocidal intent', a sentiment echoed by the United States, while The Gambia has brought a genocide case against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice.