Bangladesh faces renewed Rohingya Muslims influx following escalating violence in Myanmar
No fewer than 8,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh, escaping the intensifying conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, according to Bangladeshi officials.
The surge in violence is attributed to escalating clashes between Myanmar’s ruling junta and the Arakan Army, an ethnic militia from the Buddhist majority.
“We have information that around 8,000 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh recently, mostly over the last two months,” confirmed Mohammad Shamsud Douza, a senior official responsible for refugees. He noted that Bangladesh is already overwhelmed and cannot accommodate more refugees.
The Bangladesh government has not previously disclosed estimates of recent Rohingya arrivals. However, a “serious discussion at the cabinet” is scheduled within the next few days to address the crisis, stated Mohammad Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s de-facto foreign minister.
Although sympathetic to the Rohingya, Hossain emphasised that the country has reached its limit in providing shelter to additional refugees.
While acknowledging the challenges of fully securing the border, Hossain indicated that efforts would be made to prevent further infiltration.
This latest influx comes as tens of thousands of Rohingya in Bangladesh marked the seventh anniversary of the 2017 military crackdown, which forced them to flee Myanmar.
Over one million Rohingya now live in overcrowded camps in southern Bangladesh, with little hope of returning to Myanmar, where they face denial of citizenship and basic rights.
The recent violence is the worst the Rohingya have experienced since the 2017 crisis, which the United Nations condemned as having genocidal intent.
Last month, Hossain reiterated that Bangladesh cannot accept more refugees and urged the international community, including India, to take stronger action against the Arakan Army and to increase pressure on Myanmar to stop the attacks.
