MYANMAR CONFIRMS 309,000 ROHINGYA ELIGIBLE TO RETURN AMID ONGOING SECURITY CONCERNS

Mon 17 August 2026:

Myanmar has, for the first time, acknowledged nearly 309,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as former residents of Rakhine state, saying they would be allowed to return once security conditions improve in the conflict-hit region.

The Foreign Ministry said 308,975 displaced people had been verified as former residents of Rakhine, marking a significant development in long-running efforts to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh.

“Myanmar will receive the displaced persons who have been verified as former residents of Rakhine State when the security situation in Rakhine State becomes more stable,” the ministry said.

Several attempts by Bangladesh and Myanmar to begin repatriation have failed, with no large-scale returns taking place amid concerns over security, citizenship and basic rights.

The process has been further complicated by fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army, which has seized control of large parts of Rakhine.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority in Myanmar, have long faced discrimination, persecution and statelessness. Hundreds of thousands have fled Myanmar since 2017 following violent military crackdowns and attacks by armed groups.

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More than 1.3 million Rohingya have sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh, while others have undertaken perilous sea journeys to countries including Indonesia and Malaysia.

Bangladesh has maintained that repatriation must be voluntary, safe and sustainable, while Rohingya refugees have demanded guarantees of citizenship, security and fundamental rights before returning.

The main obstacles remain serious. Intense fighting continues between Myanmar’s army and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group that now controls large parts of Rakhine. Myanmar says returns cannot start until the region is more stable.

Beyond security, Rohingya refugees and rights groups raise deeper concerns: Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens (referring to them instead as “Bengalis”), and many fear they would return without citizenship, basic rights, or guarantees of safety. Bangladesh insists any return must be voluntary, safe, and sustainable.

As a result, while the verification is a step forward on paper, actual large-scale repatriation remains blocked by ongoing conflict and unresolved issues of rights and protection.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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