Bangladesh Cannot Bear Rohingya Responsibility Alone: Tarique Rahman

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on the international community to break its political inaction and take effective steps to resolve the protracted Rohingya crisis. He made it clear that Bangladesh cannot continue to shoulder this enormous humanitarian responsibility alone indefinitely.

The prime minister made the call as the chief guest at a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis held in New York on Wednesday local time. The event was jointly organised with Gambia and attended by international partners and world leaders.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the Rohingya have faced discrimination, persecution and deprivation in Myanmar for decades. Bangladesh witnessed several major influxes of Rohingya refugees in 1978 and subsequently throughout the 1980s. During the governments led by President Ziaur Rahman and later the late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, arrangements were successfully made for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. However, the overall crisis deteriorated further following violence in Myanmar in 2017.

Mr. Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh has been shouldering an enormous humanitarian responsibility for more than nine years. “We continue to host more than 1.2 million Rohingya,” he said. Unfortunately, people are still fleeing Myanmar due to violence. Thousands of children are born in the camps every year, adding another generation to this protracted displacement. Mothers dream of a safe future. Young people are growing up amid uncertainty, while elderly people carry memories of the homes and villages they were forced to leave and long to return there.

He said Bangladesh opened its borders out of humanitarian considerations. Rohingya refugees are receiving food and healthcare in Bangladesh’s camps. Their children are receiving education based on the Myanmar curriculum through nearly 6,000 learning centres. Rohingya youth are being provided with capacity-building and skills-development training to prepare them for future reintegration in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. “We are doing our utmost to improve conditions in the camps; however, they are not ideal places for long-term residence,” he said.

The prime minister said the cost of protracted displacement is increasing every day—not only for the Rohingya but also for the host communities in Cox’s Bazar. The social, economic, environmental and security pressures on Bangladesh are now enormous. Prolonged uncertainty and frustration are creating new challenges and security risks, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking and other transnational crimes. Some people are risking their lives by travelling by boat towards Malaysia. An unresolved crisis in one country can become a security challenge for the entire region.

Yet, as needs continue to grow, the humanitarian lifeline is shrinking. The 2025 Joint Response Plan appealed for more than US$934 million in assistance. For 2026, the appeal has been reduced to around US$710 million, which is intended only to meet minimum life-saving needs. “This trend cannot continue,” he said. “We are deeply grateful to our international partners who have continued to stand by Bangladesh. Now, more than ever, we need their support.”

However, humanitarian generosity cannot be an excuse for political inaction. Nor can it be expected that Bangladesh alone will continue to bear this responsibility indefinitely.

He said the crisis originated in Myanmar, and its solution also lies in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the situation in Rakhine State remains deeply concerning. Rohingya continue to face serious violations and abuses, including forced recruitment, arbitrary detention, restrictions on movement, forced labour and other forms of insecurity. There is evidence of allegations of serious violations against both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. As a result, conditions conducive to safe and dignified repatriation have yet to be ensured.

Mr. Tarique Rahman said it is now time to move from sympathy to addressing the root causes of the crisis and finding solutions; from commitments to effective action; and from managing displacement to ending it.

Five-point proposal for resolving the crisis

Noting that conditions conducive to safe and dignified repatriation have yet to be established in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the prime minister placed five specific and urgent proposals before the international community:

First, international and regional stakeholders must develop a clear and credible roadmap for the rapid, safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar. The international community and other states must support efforts to establish stability and use their influence to create conditions inside Myanmar that are conducive to repatriation.

Second, violence against civilians in Myanmar, including the Rohingya, must end. The fundamental rights and security of the Rohingya in their homeland must be ensured so that they can regain confidence in returning.

Third, the international community must ensure adequate and predictable humanitarian assistance for the Rohingya. At the same time, support must also be provided to host communities so that their aspirations for development are not hindered because of their generous hospitality.

Fourth, justice and accountability are essential for sustainable repatriation. We are deeply grateful for Gambia’s leadership in efforts to ensure accountability at the International Court of Justice. At the same time, we recognise the important role of the International Criminal Court, where individual criminal responsibility is being determined, alongside other international judicial and investigative mechanisms. International judicial and investigative mechanisms must continue to receive support. Those responsible for serious crimes must be held accountable.

Fifth, regional and international cooperation must be further strengthened to address the drug-based economy, human trafficking, digital fraud, illicit arms and other cross-border crimes that fuel instability in the region.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh does not want the Rohingya to remain displaced forever. “We want them to return to their homes in Myanmar safely, voluntarily and with dignity, with their rights protected. Bangladesh has fulfilled its responsibility with humanity. Now the international community must also fulfil its responsibility with firm resolve. If the necessary conditions are created, Bangladesh will remain ready to facilitate their repatriation.”

Addressing world leaders, Mr. Tarique Rahman said, “Let us work together to ensure that the fate of the Rohingya does not become another story of persecution, expulsion and displacement. Instead, let it become a story of justice, dignity and hope. Most importantly, let this story begin now.”