Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar living in dozens of camps in Bangladesh held a rally Tuesday (August 25, 2026) to demand their safe return to their home state, nine years after they fled a government crackdown.
Rakhine was captured by the insurgent Arakan Army that is fighting Myanmar government forces. After the 2017 crackdown, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims crossed from Rakhine into neighbouring Bangladesh on foot and by boat during shelling, indiscriminate killings and other violence. The Bangladesh government opened the border, eventually allowing more than 700,000 refugees to take shelter in the Muslim-majority nation. Earlier this month, Myanmar’s military-backed government said that more than 300,000 Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh are former residents of Rakhine state and that it will accept their return once security conditions improve.
Bangladesh says it will not force anyone to return.
The Bangladesh government earlier attempted to start the repatriation at least twice, but it did not work out as none of the refugees was willing to go back, citing security concerns.
Does that mean we are expected to remain here for another 50 years,” Rohingya refugee leader Sayed Ullah said Tuesday (August 25). “We cannot stay here for 50 years. “Whether it is the Arakan Army or the Myanmar military, as long as they continue playing this double game, the situation in Arakan, or Rakhine, will not become safe. Arakan is the old name of Rakhine.
Given the current situation in Arakan, we need to determine how an environment conducive to peace can be created,” he said.
