Eight years after fleeing atrocities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Rohingyas in Bangladesh say they still see no guarantee of safe and dignified repatriation. With international assistance shrinking and uncertainty deepening, they marked Rohingya Genocide Day on Sunday (August 25) by renewing their call to the world for help in securing their return home with full citizenship rights.
The observance began at 11 am across camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf. The largest gathering took place at Camp-4 Extension in Ukhiya, where hundreds of Rohingyas assembled in an open field carrying posters and placards, all voicing the same demand — “Safe Repatriation.”
Rohingya participants recalled how they were forced to flee in 2017 following brutal military crackdowns in Rakhine. “That tragic day is etched in our memory, and we commemorate it as Genocide Day,” said a Rohingya elder. Since early morning, groups of Rohingyas gathered in camps to take part in rallies and remembrance events.
They alleged that in the past eight years, Myanmar has not taken back a single refugee. Instead, repatriation prospects have become more complicated, with the Arakan Army seizing control of swathes of Rakhine. Over the last year alone, an estimated 150,000 new Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh. Meanwhile, dwindling global aid has severely strained education, healthcare, and food programs in the camps.
“Killings, persecution, and repression in Rakhine have not stopped. Without security and citizenship rights, we will not return to Myanmar,” said one Rohingya community leader. “Without international solidarity, there is no escape from this unbearable life.”
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Mizanur Rahman said, “The Rohingyas are demanding swift justice in the ongoing cases at the ICJ and ICC, while also appealing for stronger global support to ensure safe repatriation.”
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Collected
