Nearly 150,000 new Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh over the past 18 months, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). In a statement issued from Geneva on Friday (July 11), the agency reported that ongoing violence, persecution, and conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are forcing thousands of Rohingya to seek safety across the border in Bangladesh once again.
A significant number of the new arrivals are women and children. According to UNHCR, this marks the most critical wave of Rohingya displacement since 2017. The agency praised the Government of Bangladesh for its continued humanitarian stance, acknowledging the country’s longstanding role in providing shelter and critical support to the Rohingya community.
Currently, nearly one million Rohingya are living within just 24 square kilometres in Cox’s Bazar, making it one of the most densely populated refugee settlements in the world.
The UNHCR also stated that as of the end of June, around 121,000 of the newly arrived Rohingya had been registered biometrically. However, it is believed that many more have crossed the border informally and is now residing within the camps.
Experts warn that this fresh influx will add further pressure on Bangladesh’s humanitarian, environmental, and security landscape. The UN agency has called for increased international support to help Bangladesh manage the escalating crisis.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
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