The permanent resolution of the Rohingya crisis lies only in Myanmar through the safe and voluntary repatriation of refugees, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Saturday (September 20).
Speaking at a workshop titled “Beyond the Headlines: Seeing the Rohingya Crisis with New Eyes” organized by the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) and Oxfam in Bangladesh, Alam emphasized that Bangladesh cannot carry the burden of hosting over a million displaced Rohingya indefinitely.
“The only durable solution is in Myanmar. Unless they are able to return home safely and with dignity, this crisis will remain unresolved,” Alam said.
He noted that while Bangladesh mounted strong diplomatic pressure in the immediate aftermath of the 2017 atrocities, those efforts weakened in later years. “We outsourced our foreign policy to others, and when you mortgage your policy, your hands and feet get tied. As a result, the Rohingya issue was pushed to the margins of global diplomacy,” he observed.
The press secretary underlined that despite the crisis being one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, it has failed to receive sustained international attention. He stressed that Prime Adviser Yunus is determined to bring the plight of the Rohingya back to the forefront of the global agenda.
“At his request, the United Nations has convened a special conference on September 30, where Professor Yunus himself will lead the Bangladesh delegation. More than 150 countries are expected to participate,” Alam said.
He reiterated that strong international diplomatic pressure on Myanmar is essential for ensuring safe repatriation. “The interim government is actively trying to fill this gap. The Foreign Affairs Adviser and the National Security Adviser have been engaging with various countries and global powers. Our hope is that the Rohingya issue will once again return to the world map with the urgency it deserves.”
Human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that without meaningful international intervention, the Rohingya risk remaining trapped in camps in Bangladesh for generations, deprived of citizenship, safety, and basic rights in Myanmar. Pro-Rohingya voices argue that accountability for past atrocities and guarantees of security in Rakhine State must be central to any repatriation deal.
For Bangladesh, the stakes are high. Beyond the economic and environmental strain of hosting the refugees, the country insists that justice, dignity, and rights for the Rohingya are indispensable for any sustainable solution.
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