UNHCR Urges Continued Global Support for Rohingya Refugees as Crisis Marks Seventh Anniversary

The UNHCR also commends the renewed commitment to the Rohingya refugees expressed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s Interim Government, on August 18.

As the world observes the seventh anniversary of the mass forced displacement of Rohingya refugees, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is renewing its call for sustained international support to protect nearly one million Rohingya refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh and to work towards lasting solutions to end their plight.

On August 25, 2017, approximately 700,000 Rohingya men, women, and children fled Myanmar to seek refuge in Bangladesh. The unwavering support from Bangladesh and the international community has been crucial in meeting the basic needs of these refugees and ensuring their protection.

However, emerging security challenges and uncertainties in funding are now threatening all but the most critical life-saving assistance. In Myanmar’s Rakhine State, escalating conflict has exacerbated conditions for the Rohingya, with internal displacement reaching unprecedented levels. More than 3.3 million people are now displaced within Myanmar, including at least 128,800 in northern Rakhine. The ongoing conflict is so intense that the fighting can be heard by Bangladeshi communities near the border.

As the conflict in Myanmar persists, UNHCR continues to monitor the situation at the border, providing essential life-saving assistance, and advocating with Bangladeshi authorities to ensure access to asylum for civilians fleeing Myanmar.

UNHCR emphasizes that a dignified, voluntary, and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to this crisis and urges the international community to demonstrate the political will needed to make this possible.

The UNHCR also commends the renewed commitment to the Rohingya refugees expressed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s Interim Government, on August 18. Continued solidarity from the global community, through consistent financial support, is essential to eventually repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar with safety, dignity, and full rights.

In the meantime, the refugees require immediate assistance and support to build a better future. With 52% of the refugees under 18 years old, many have been born or spent their formative years in refugee camps.

In 2024, humanitarian agencies appealed for $852 million to assist 1.35 million people, including Rohingya refugees and local Bangladeshis in surrounding communities. Unfortunately, this appeal remains significantly underfunded.

The lack of sufficient funding has severely hindered humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh. Food rations have been reduced in the first half of 2024, health centers are experiencing shortages of medical staff, equipment, and medicines, water quality has deteriorated, leading to outbreaks of cholera and hepatitis, and opportunities for vocational training and income generation have diminished.

Bangladesh is also grappling with catastrophic flash floods, affecting millions of its citizens. In response, UNHCR has immediately deployed water purification tablets, hygiene kits, jerrycans, and tarpaulins from its existing humanitarian stockpiles to support communities hosting refugees. Two inflatable rescue boats have also been dispatched to Feni, in southeastern Bangladesh. The country cannot be left to handle this crisis alone.

More systematic and sustained global support is urgently needed for countries like Bangladesh, which are increasingly exposed to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters due to climate change.

UNHCR calls on donors and private actors to step up funding for the Rohingya refugee response promptly. Without consistent financial backing, the situation could escalate into a broader humanitarian crisis. The Rohingya people deserve our unwavering support, as do the generous people of Bangladesh who have opened their hearts and homes to them.