Before Eid last year, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Chief Adviser of the interim government Dr. Muhammad Yunus joined the Rohingya for iftar and said they would be able to celebrate the next Eid in their homeland. However, this Eid too is being spent in refugee camps.
According to a UNHCR report published in December 2025, around 150,000 new Rohingya were registered in Bangladesh over the past year. Although repatriation has been discussed, in reality, new arrivals have increased.
Even after eight years since the 2017 Rohingya influx, no government has been able to resolve the crisis. Rohingya doctor Zobayer said that they are now placing their hopes on the new government to find a solution.
Over the past one and a half years, the issue of Rohingya repatriation has remained largely absent from discussions due to various crises. Despite assurances from Dr. Muhammad Yunus about returning the Rohingya to their homeland, infiltration has increased during the interim government period. Rabiyul Hossain, president of the Local Rights Implementation Committee, urged that the elected government must prioritize Rohingya repatriation.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media while celebrating Eid in his hometown Pekua on Saturday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the government is treating the Rohingya issue with utmost importance.
In 1978 under President Ziaur Rahman, and again in 1991–92 under former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, significant numbers of Rohingya who had taken shelter in Bangladesh were repatriated to Myanmar. Based on that experience, both the Rohingya and local communities hope that a new government led by Tarique Rahman will take effective initiatives.
Since 2017, there have been multiple discussions between Dhaka and Naypyidaw regarding Rohingya repatriation. However, due to various complications, Myanmar has not taken back a single Rohingya so far. Additionally, several areas of Rakhine State are now under the control of the Arakan Army, creating further complexities for any future repatriation process.
