In a rare and cautious development, at least 82 Rohingyas have reportedly returned voluntarily to Myanmar's Rakhine state last week — the first known instance of spontaneous repatriation since the mass exodus in 2017, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The UNHCR, in its latest report on the humanitarian cross-border situation in northern Rakhine and Cox's Bazar from May 12 to 18, said some of the returnees had fled forced recruitment efforts in the past year, reports BSS.
Their primary motivations for returning included hopes of restarting businesses and reclaiming farmland.
The development has sparked careful optimism in Bangladesh, which has long maintained that any repatriation of the over one million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs) must be safe, voluntary, and dignified, in accordance with international standards.
According to the report, an additional 30 to 40 Rohingyas are expected to return to Maungdaw in the coming days.
These individuals are reportedly seeking some form of documentation or assurance from the Arakan Army (AA), the powerful ethnic armed group that currently controls large parts of Rakhine.
While no reports of coercion have emerged, the UNHCR said the situation remains ambiguous: "It is unclear what assurances, if any, the AA has provided to the returnees." The agency further reported that the AA is allegedly accepting bribes to allow the returns and is questioning the returnees about conditions in Cox's Bazar camps and the activities of organised groups.
Bangladesh, which currently hosts more than 1.2 million Rohingyas, has repeatedly called on the international community to pressure Myanmar into creating conducive conditions for repatriation — including guarantees of citizenship and protection from persecution.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian outlook for Rohingya refugees remains grim. The UNHCR reiterated its call for international solidarity and renewed support for countries in the region hosting Rohingya populations.
The UN agency has appealed for $383.1 million in funding for 2025 to support Rohingyas and host communities across Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. As of mid-May, only 30 percent of this target has been met, the report said.
Comments