Bangladesh Warns It Has Reached Limit in Supporting Rohingya Refugees, Appeals for Global Action

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has cautioned that the country can no longer bear the financial and social strain of hosting 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, urging the international community to take responsibility for a crisis now in its eighth year.

Speaking at a special conference in Cox’s Bazar, where most refugees live in sprawling camps, Yunus said Bangladesh’s domestic resources have been “completely exhausted” after years of supporting one of the world’s largest displaced populations. He stressed that the Rohingya issue must remain a global priority until a safe and voluntary repatriation plan is achieved.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority from Myanmar’s Rakhine state, fled to Bangladesh following a 2017 military crackdown, which the UN has described as ethnic cleansing. While Bangladesh and Myanmar attempted repatriations in 2018 and 2019, the efforts collapsed as refugees feared renewed persecution. The Myanmar junta maintains its actions targeted militants, but rights groups accuse it of atrocities.

Yunus highlighted the worsening humanitarian conditions in the camps, where nearly half of the refugees are children. Aid is shrinking, education opportunities are scarce, and food shortages have grown acute. “We don’t foresee any scope whatsoever for further mobilisation of resources from domestic sources,” Yunus said, adding that the crisis also threatens Bangladesh’s economy, environment, and internal stability.

Marking the anniversary of their displacement, tens of thousands of Rohingyas staged protests inside the camps, demanding justice and repatriation. Many carried banners declaring “No more refugee life” and “Repatriation is the ultimate solution.”

Bangladesh’s warning underscores the urgency of international engagement, as one of the world’s most protracted refugee crises shows no sign of resolution without stronger global support.