Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees are crossing into Bangladesh daily, fleeing escalating violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, according to official sources and refugee accounts.
Since November 2023, over 113,000 Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh, most arriving after June, bringing the total number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh to at least 1.3 million, according to the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC).
Md Mizanur Rahman, RRRC, said, “A large number of Rohingyas are taking shelter in various refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Speaking to them, we learned they are escaping persecution by the Arakan Army. In the homes they leave behind, people from other communities are resettling.” He added that Bangladesh authorities and the UNHCR have registered the new arrivals through fingerprinting.
The UNHCR has requested Bangladesh to arrange accommodations for over 100,000 new arrivals. Rahman expressed concern, saying, “We do not have space to build houses for such a large number. Expanding shelter may also encourage more Rohingyas in Rakhine to cross into Bangladesh, making future repatriation more difficult.”
Reports of Atrocities
Md Zubair, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, alleged that the Arakan Army is targeting Rohingyas with killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and forced recruitment. Many Rohingyas have reportedly been used as human shields against junta forces and compelled into labor for construction projects.
Zubair also claimed that the AA has begun evicting Rohingyas from their homes and resettling ethnic Rakhine people, including those from Bangladesh, Nepal, and India, in their place. “The situation in Rakhine is dire,” he said, calling for immediate international intervention and investigation.
Background of the Crisis
Most Rohingyas in Bangladesh had fled a brutal military campaign by Myanmar’s junta forces prior to November 2023. In November, the Arakan Army launched a campaign against junta forces, claiming control over 80% of Rakhine State and 14 of 17 townships. During the fighting, Rohingyas were reportedly targeted by both the Arakan Army and the junta, prompting renewed waves of displacement.
As the Rohingya crisis deepens, Bangladesh continues to bear the brunt of a complex humanitarian emergency, with local authorities and international agencies struggling to accommodate new arrivals while ensuring safety and basic services.
