Rohingyas at the crossroads: a call for global action

On August 24-26, 2025, something remarkable happened in Cox's Bazar. More than 100 Rohingya from the camps and the global diaspora gathered with civil society leaders, humanitarian and development partners, UN agencies, member states, and senior officials of the Bangladesh government, including the Chief Adviser. For the first time since the mass exodus of August 2017, Rohingya voices were heard in a high-level forum that directly discussed their future. This "Stakeholders' Dialogue," organised by the Bangladesh government, was not only historic-it was a poignant reminder that meaningful solutions must include those who live through the crisis every day.

Eight years ago, the world was shaken by images of tens of thousands of Rohingya crossing into Bangladesh after a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State. More than 700,000 fled their homes in August 2017 alone, joining earlier waves of refugees and swelling Cox's Bazar into the world's largest refugee settlement. Today, Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million Rohingya-one of the largest displaced populations anywhere.

A STORY OF SOLIDARITY: The anniversary of August 25 is both a day of mourning and of solidarity. It recalls the day violence forced the Rohingya from their homes, but also the day when Bangladeshis opened theirs. Across Ukhiya and Teknaf, families set aside their own struggles to share food, shelter, and clothing with exhausted refugees who had walked for days with little more than the clothes on their backs. This spontaneous solidarity, eight years on, continues to inspire hope. The international community also rallied: governments condemned the atrocities, and humanitarian agencies mobilised resources to meet urgent needs.

Yet hope has dimmed with time. The sprawling camps in Cox's Bazar were built as a temporary solution, but for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya, life in limbo has become their only reality. Refugee life, by definition, was never meant to be permanent. Just as millions of Bangladeshis who fled in 1971 returned home after the Liberation War, the Rohingya too aspire to return. But they can only do so when conditions in Myanmar allow for safety, dignity, and equal rights.

CRISIS ACROSS THE BORDER:C Those conditions remain elusive. Conflict inside Rakhine State continues to ravage communities. Farmlands and villages have been destroyed, livelihoods wiped out, and violence remains relentless. Over the past 18 months alone, 150,000 more Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing torture, forced labour, conscription, sexual violence, and the ever-present risk of death. Their choices are stark: squeeze into overcrowded shelters in Cox's Bazar or risk annihilation in their homeland.

At present, an estimated 3.5 million people are internally displaced across Myanmar. For Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the reality is equally grim: half a million children born into statelessness, citizens of no country, reliant on external aid for food, water, shelter, education, and healthcare.

A FUTURE IN QUESTION: The Stakeholders' Dialogue in Cox's Bazar, where Rohingya youth, women, and activists spoke directly to national leaders and international representatives, underscored a hard truth: the solution lies in Myanmar. Without political reform that addresses the root causes of persecution, repatriation remains impossible. Refugees themselves have been clear-they will only return when it is voluntary, safe, and dignified.

Meanwhile, the camps face mounting pressures. Funding for the 2025 Joint Response Plan, which covers basic needs for Rohingya refugees, is only 60 per cent secured. This shortfall has devastating consequences. Food rations are guaranteed only until November, cooking gas until September, and healthcare and education services have already been cut. Humanitarian agencies have reduced their workforce by nearly a third, impacting both refugees and host communities. If support continues to shrink, the consequences could be dire-not only for refugees but also for local Bangladeshis who share their land and resources.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: Bangladesh has carried an enormous humanitarian burden with remarkable generosity, but it cannot and should not shoulder it alone. The crisis is global, and so must be the response. Withholding aid or turning away asylum seekers is not a solution. The Rohingya crisis is not simply a humanitarian issue; it is also a question of justice, human rights, and regional stability.

The upcoming High-Level Conference on the Situation of the Rohingya and Other Minorities in Myanmar, scheduled for September 30 in New York, offers a critical opportunity for international actors to step up. Governments, regional bodies, and global institutions must forge a political solution that ensures peace in Myanmar, while also sustaining humanitarian and development support in Bangladesh.

BUILDING RESILIENCE: While awaiting repatriation, the Rohingya need more than survival assistance. They need opportunities to build skills, access education, and develop self-reliance so that when conditions allow, they can return not as passive victims but as empowered citizens ready to rebuild their communities. Innovative programs in training, education, and livelihood development are essential investments-not only for the Rohingya's future but also for regional peace and stability.

Bangladesh's own history provides a lesson: the return of refugees in 1971 was possible because conditions changed, and displaced Bangladeshis were prepared to reintegrate into their homeland. The Rohingya deserve the same chance.

A CALL TO THE WORLD: Eight years on, the Rohingya crisis stands at a crossroads. The camps in Cox's Bazar cannot be the end of their story, nor can dwindling aid define their future. The Rohingya count on us-governments, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and refugee leaders-to not only meet immediate needs but also prepare for long-term solutions.

Bangladesh has done more than its fair share, often at great cost. Now the world must match that generosity with action. Sustained humanitarian aid, renewed diplomatic pressure on Myanmar, and investments in education and resilience are essential. The international community cannot let fatigue, politics, or indifference condemn an entire people to endless displacement.

The Rohingya crisis is not just about refugees-it is about the values we claim to uphold as a global community. It is about whether the right to safety, dignity, and a future belongs to all people, or only to a privileged few.

The solidarity shown by ordinary Bangladeshis in 2017 remains a beacon of humanity. The world must now show the same courage and compassion. The Rohingya people cannot wait another eight years.

Dr Shahidul Islam is an assistant professor at Austin E. Cofrin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, USA. islammd@uwgb.edu