Episode: KPN 13-10-2025 

Bangladesh eyes high level meeting in Qatar over Rohingya repatriation

Bangladesh is gearing up for a high-level closed-door meeting in Qatar this December, aiming to send back Rohingyas home, who fled targeted violence in Rakhine of Myanmar.

A high level official and a very reliable source who works on Myanmar related diplomacies confirmed the matter to Deshkal News.

Regarding agenda of this meeting, the official keeping anonymity said, “We are very straight with our demand and enough is enough this Rohingya issue must now be settled.”

The official also questioned how many years Bangladesh would host these Myanmar nationals who fled their home country.

“Date for the meeting has not been yet fixed. As we fix the date, we will inform media. But the month has been fixed,” this official said.

He said, “Bangladesh in the meeting table will straight away say Myanmar’s upcoming national election slated for December 28, will not be recognised if their people in Cox’s Bazar is excluded”.

Earlier, the same official told Deshkal News that Bangladesh would withhold recognition of the election unless Rohingyas are allowed to participate.

The official said in Qatar meeting Bangladesh would strongly demand about the repatriation of the Rohingyas.

UNHCR statement

Shari Nijman, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangladesh told Deshkal News that nine years into the mass influx in 2017 and with no durable solution in sight, the Rohingyas in Bangladesh, who fled targeted violence and ongoing conflict in Myanmar, continue to be entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance.

Responding to Bangladesh’s plan to grant work permits to Rohingyas amid declining international aid and growing challenges in managing the refugee crisis, Nijman said, “They [Rohingyas] are very vulnerable to gaps in basic lifesaving services, such as food assistance, healthcare and education. When humanitarian aid declines, essential assistance for the whole Rohingya population is at risk of collapsing.”

She further noted, “In light of this, it is vital to increase refugees’ self-reliance through education, skills development and livelihood opportunities inside the camps — opportunities and skills that will help them rebuild their lives and communities in Rakhine and sustain their return to Myanmar, when the conditions are conducive for them to do so.”

Nijman also emphasised that while the refugees ultimately wish to return home, the focus must remain on ensuring their dignity and stability until repatriation becomes feasible.

“While the refugees want to return home to Myanmar, until a safe, dignified and sustainable return is possible, we must provide dignity and stability to their lives and support the communities generously hosting them,” she said.

Thomas Kean, senior consultant on Myanmar and Bangladesh with International Crisis Group, told Deshkal News that the reality on the ground is that Rohingya people are working, entering and exiting the camps, and in some cases living in host communities – they are just doing it informally.

He said, “Bangladesh policies should evolve to recognise these realities, but in a way that also acknowledges the legitimate concerns of both the government and the host community. I doubt that an open slather approach – allowing full freedom of movement and right to work – will be politically sustainable in Bangladesh, but a gradual process should be more feasible. Importantly, too, it would give Rohingya more hope for the future.”

Regarding international funding cut for Rohingyas can create additional pressure on Bangladesh, Thomas said, “No, I don’t think the funding cuts are part of a strategy to push Bangladesh towards integrating the Rohingya.”

Humanitarian workers have been telling me for years that it was inevitable that funding would decline from $700 million a year – that’s the pattern all around the world when it comes to refugee crises, he added.

An official from the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission told Deshkal News there is no initiative visible still now regarding repatriation of the Rohingyas.

The official also agreed that informally Rohingyas are moving out of the camps and working outside along with the people of the local communities.

Bangladesh is facing a renewed surge in Rohingya arrivals, with around 150,000 entering in 2025 and another 50,000 expected by year-end, pushing the total population in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashanchar to nearly 1.25 million. The 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State triggered the largest influx, and ongoing violence continues to force Rohingya families to flee, according to the UN World Food Programme.

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