Uncertainty over Rohingya repatriation is likely to stay as conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in Rakhine has escalated since early January, say experts.
Human Rights Watch has said Myanmar should disband its inquiry commission on abuses in Rakhine state for its unwillingness to seriously investigate alleged grave crimes against the ethnic Rohingyas.
Dhaka yesterday protested the "derogatory and provocative" remarks of Myanmar Religious Affairs Minister Thura Aung Ko on Rohingya refugees and asked the country to apologise.
A large portion of the donations meant for the displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh is being spent as operational cost of international NGOs, says a study.
The UN refugee agency yesterday urged Myanmar to exert all efforts to create conditions for safe return of Rohingyas and address the root cause of their displacement.
The first batch of Rohingyas is all set to be sent back to Myanmar today amid reports that many of the refugees listed for return are hiding in fear of forcible repatriation.
A plan to start repatriating Rohingyas back to Myanmar is premature and the refugees are "terrified" about leaving Bangladesh where they sought refuge, dozens of aid agencies working in the region said yesterday.
Dhaka has urged Beijing to encourage Myanmar to create a conducive environment for a speedy return of Rohingyas to their home in Rakhine.
The Chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Ed Royce yesterday said he believed that a realistic accounting of the deliberate campaign of murder, intimidation and displacement against the Rohingya clearly met the legal standard for genocide.
As he walked through the alleys of the makeshift camps in rains and met Rohingya boys and girls, he remembered his granddaughters and tried to imagine what it would be like to see them in such conditions.
When Antonio Guterres visited Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in 2008, it housed only 10,800 Rohingyas. The total number of Rohingya population living in the district was around 27,000. They had arrived there in previous years and were not repatriated to Myanmar like many others.
UK along with its international partners will continue to put “maximum pressure” on Myanmar to ensure justice for the Rohingya victims of the persecutions by military in Rakhine State as well as their safe and dignified return from Bangladesh.
China yesterday assured Bangladesh of full support for expediting the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar after Dhaka sought Beijing's help to this end.
Dhaka is set to welcome five high-profile dignitaries, including the UN Secretary General António Guterres, next week. The dignitaries will visit Rohingya refugee camps, attend a session on sustainable development agenda and discuss the country's socio-economic achievements with government high officials.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix has highly appreciated Bangladeshi soldiers for their contribution to peacekeeping and serving in some of the most challenging conditions.
The United Nations yesterday commended the Bangladesh government's commitment to support the Rohingya refugees and highlighted that the root causes of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar must be addressed.
The UN secretary-general's special envoy on Myanmar has said granting citizenship to the Rohingya and ensuring accountability for the perpetrators of violence against the community could help create a conducive environment for their safe and voluntary repatriation.
In a major development, the International Criminal Court yesterday asked Myanmar to submit its written observations by July 27 on the allegations of deporting over 700,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh.
Amnesty International has called on the international community to urgently step up international assistance for nearly a million Rohingya refugees in the camps in Cox's Bazar as they face the severity of this year's monsoon.
