Bangladesh Prepares for Key Rohingya Talks Ahead of UN Conference

Bangladesh Prepares for Key Rohingya Talks Ahead of UN Conference
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Bangladesh is preparing to host a crucial conference on the Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar, a precursor to a high-level international event at the United Nations headquarters in New York, The Irrawaddy Newsletter reported. The conferences aim to mobilize international support and accelerate the process of safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of refugees to their homes in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

According to reports, the three-day conference in Cox’s Bazar, which is scheduled to begin on August 25, is part of the preparations for the larger UN-led conference on September 30. Khalilur Rahman, the High Representative of the Chief Adviser on Rohingya Affairs, described the event as an opportunity to present a “roadmap for an urgent and lasting solution,” emphasizing that the refugees must eventually return home.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that more than 1 million Rohingya refugees are living in crowded camps in Bangladesh. Since 2023, with intensified clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), nearly 200,000 more Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh. While the Arakan Army has expanded its control in Rakhine State, it has faced allegations of persecuting Rohingya communities, a claim the group denies. Experts believe that without the representation of Rohingya leaders and the Arakan Army, the conferences may not be able to achieve a meaningful resolution.

Nevertheless, the UN, with the support of 106 countries, is working to produce a concrete action plan for humanitarian aid and repatriation at the New York conference. Another international conference on the issue is also scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, on December 6.