The United Nations will convene a long-awaited High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar this September in New York. Backed by 106 countries across continents, the summit was first proposed by Bangladesh's chief adviser, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, during the 79th UN General Assembly.
Behind the diplomatic buildup lies an escalating humanitarian crisis that has festered for over seven years. Bangladesh, now hosting more than a million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar following the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, has repeatedly warned the global community that its ability to cope is nearing a breaking point.
The upcoming conference comes at a critical juncture. Humanitarian aid is drying up — only one-third of the UN’s 2024 response plan was funded, and this year’s outlook is even worse. In April, the World Food Programme slashed monthly food rations by more than half, pushing many refugees into hunger and deepening desperation in the overcrowded camps.
“The futures are still frozen. The promises remain largely unfulfilled,” said one aid worker in Cox’s Bazar. Rohingya refugees remain legally unrecognized in Bangladesh and are denied access to formal education, employment, and legal protections. This legal ambiguity, while politically motivated to preserve repatriation prospects, is now entrenching suffering and instability.
Repatriation efforts have also failed to materialize. A 2018 agreement between Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the UN collapsed due to the lack of guarantees on citizenship, safety, and justice — conditions that Rohingya leaders insist are non-negotiable. Without enforceable agreements and international oversight, future efforts risk repeating the same mistakes.
Meanwhile, regional implications are intensifying. Hundreds of Rohingya have fled by boat to Malaysia and Indonesia this year, while Thailand remains a transit route for traffickers exploiting refugee vulnerability. With no regional refugee framework in place, Southeast Asia is struggling to respond to the crisis’s growing security and humanitarian dimensions.
ASEAN, currently chaired by Malaysia, is under increasing pressure to act. Its five-point consensus on Myanmar has seen little implementation. Bangladesh is calling for a broader, coordinated approach involving ASEAN, Japan, and other regional actors to share responsibility and push forward a viable repatriation plan.
Japan, with its diplomatic access and post-conflict reconstruction experience, is seen as a potential bridge-builder in Rakhine State. Tokyo is being urged to lead efforts in restoring infrastructure and development to create conditions conducive for safe and voluntary return.
“This conference must go beyond symbolic gestures,” said a senior Bangladeshi official. “It must deliver a clear, time-bound roadmap for repatriation — one that includes safety guarantees, citizenship rights, and international monitoring.”
Observers say the stakes are high. If the status quo continues, Myanmar risks becoming permanently Rohingya-free — not through reconciliation or resettlement, but through erasure. The right of return could vanish forever.
For Bangladesh, the upcoming UN summit is not merely diplomatic. It is a plea for action.
“Bangladesh has done its part. Now the world must do its share,” the official added.
The Rohingya crisis, once a humanitarian emergency, has evolved into a test of global resolve. With millions still displaced and hope fading fast, the world’s response in September may determine whether the Rohingya ever return home — or remain in limbo for another generation.
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