Episode: KPN 07-10-2026

UK pledges continued support for Bangladesh over Rohingya crisis, envoy says

The United Kingdom will continue standing alongside Bangladesh in responding to the Rohingya refugee crisis and supporting more than one million Rohingya hosted by the country, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said on Sunday.

Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026, Cooke praised Bangladesh for what she described as its “extraordinary generosity” in sheltering the Rohingya and said the UK remained committed to supporting both refugees and the communities hosting them.

She said Britain would also work to keep international attention focused on the protracted crisis while pursuing a sustainable solution for the Rohingya.

“The only sustainable solution is the voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Rohingya to Myanmar when conditions allow,” Cooke said.

UK stresses safe and voluntary Rohingya return

Cooke’s remarks reinforced the UK’s position that repatriation to Myanmar should take place only when conditions permit Rohingya to return voluntarily, safely and with dignity.

More than one million Rohingya are currently being hosted in Bangladesh, according to the information presented at the session.

For Bangladesh and the Rohingya refugee community, the question of repatriation remains central to resolving a crisis that has continued for years without a durable solution.

Cooke said the UK remained committed to working towards such a solution while continuing humanitarian assistance in the meantime.

London seeks continued international attention

The British high commissioner said the UK has continued pressing the international community to maintain attention on the Rohingya crisis.

At this year’s United Nations General Assembly, Britain co-sponsored discussions aimed at keeping the Rohingya situation on the international agenda, she said.

Cooke also highlighted Britain’s role as the penholder on Myanmar at the United Nations Security Council, where the UK takes a leading role in drafting and advancing council action concerning Myanmar.

She said Britain would continue using that position to push for international action and accountability.

Support for Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities

Cooke said the UK remains one of the largest donors to the humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis.

British assistance supports both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi communities hosting them, she said.

The prolonged presence of a large refugee population has placed pressure on communities and resources in Bangladesh, making continued support for host communities an important component of the international response.

The UK is also providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities inside Myanmar’s Rakhine State, according to Cooke.

Accountability remains part of UK approach

Alongside humanitarian assistance, Cooke stressed the need for continued international action and accountability over the Rohingya crisis.

Her remarks come as the Rohingya continue to face uncertainty over their future, with conditions inside Myanmar remaining central to whether a sustainable return can eventually take place.

Cooke did not provide a timetable for repatriation, instead emphasising that return should occur “when conditions allow.”

That position places the conditions inside Myanmar—not simply the desire to reduce the refugee population in Bangladesh—at the centre of any future repatriation process.

Rohingya crisis requires stronger international cooperation

Cooke described the Rohingya crisis as an example of why stronger regional and international cooperation is necessary.

“The Rohingya crisis remains one of the clearest examples of the need for stronger regional and international cooperation,” she said.

Her comments underline continuing calls for the international community to share responsibility with Bangladesh while addressing the conditions that have prevented Rohingya refugees from returning home.

For the Rohingya, a sustainable solution remains tied to whether conditions can be established in Myanmar that permit return without renewed persecution or displacement.

The UK, Cooke said, will continue supporting Bangladesh and the Rohingya while pursuing international action toward that goal.

Tagged as: Buthidaung, BGB, Burma, Malaysia going boat, IDP camp in Arakan, Arakan Army, Myanmar, Military navy, Kutupalong, Cox's Bazar, Rohingya boat people, Maungdaw, Military Council force, Rakhine, IIMM, Rathedaung, ARSA, Rohingya, war crimes, Rohingya Refugee, Camp schools, Akyab, ICC, Rohingya refugee camp, community schools, APBn, ICJ, RRRC, foods shortage, Balukhali, accountability, Sittwe, hungers, Bangadesh refugee camp, Bangladesh, Teknaf, ration cut, BGP, Genocide Convention, Burma-Bangladesh border, Arakan, RSO.