Nearly 50,000 Rohingya have gathered near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border due to escalating violence in Rakhine State, raising concerns that they could cross into Bangladesh at any moment. The issue was discussed on Sunday (17 August) at a meeting of the National Task Force on Rohingya Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chaired by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
An official who attended the meeting said that the clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) have pushed Rohingya civilians toward the border. “They are gradually attempting to cross into Bangladesh,” the official added.
According to UN estimates, around 150,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh over the past 18 months following renewed violence in Rakhine.
The meeting also highlighted serious funding gaps for humanitarian assistance. One official noted that during a sideline event at last September’s UN General Assembly, the issue of raising funds for Rohingya support was discussed. This year, the Rohingya Joint Response Plan requested approximately $950 million, of which only slightly more than half has been raised. An urgent funding gap of $170 million remains, and the UN plans to organize a donor event to mobilize these resources.
Local residents confirmed to wsnews24.com that the Rohingya displacement is primarily driven by abuses and intimidation carried out by the Arakan Army (AA), which has forced families to abandon their homes and seek safety near the border.
