Eight years on: What can the Cox’s Bazar conference deliver for the Rohingya?

The world's attention once again turns to Cox's Bazar as it hosts a high-level international conference on the Rohingya crisis from 24 to 26 August. For three days, policymakers, humanitarian workers, rights defenders, and global leaders are sitting around the same table, confronted with a crisis that has refused to fade for eight long years.

The conference is meant to do more than just exchange speeches. It promises to revisit the persistent challenges, explore ways to sustain humanitarian aid, and press the urgency of safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation. For Bangladesh, it is also a moment of reckoning—a chance to remind the world of the immense burden it has carried since 2017.

Yet, behind the carefully drafted agendas and hopeful declarations, a haunting question remains: will this conference be any different? Will it finally move beyond words and deliver meaningful change?

The conference is held marking eight years of the Rohingya crisis. On 25 August 2017, a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State forced over 700,000 Rohingya to flee for their lives, crossing into Bangladesh in a desperate bid for safety. 

Bangladesh has shown extraordinary humanitarian leadership, opening its doors to hundreds of thousands in need. Today, more than 11 lakh Rohingya call Bangladesh home, most of them squeezed into the crowded camps of Cox's Bazar, like Kutupalong and Balukhali. To relieve the pressure on these congested settlements, around 35,000 have been relocated to the remote island of Bhasan Char.

Yet, the crisis drags on. Resources are stretched thin, and the promise of a safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation feels more distant than ever. Uncertainty deepens as the Arakan Army recently announced its intention to take over Myanmar's political leadership. It casts a long shadow over any hope of a secure future for the Rohingya.

Hope on repatriation despite failed efforts

The question of Rohingya repatriation is far from new. In 2017, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding for voluntary return, but the plan has largely stalled. Ongoing violence, deep security concerns, and the absence of guarantees regarding citizenship, land, and protection have kept most refugees from returning. 

While Myanmar identified 180,000 refugees as eligible for repatriation, the majority remain reluctant to leave the relative safety of Bangladesh. The Arakan Army's recent declaration to assume political control in Myanmar adds another layer of uncertainty, making the prospect of return even more complicated.

From the beginning, Myanmar's junta expelled the Rohingya and has remained unwilling to grant them citizenship. In reality, whichever government comes to power in Myanmar continues to act strictly under military directives. Authorities have symbolically accepted only a handful of refugees back—a façade for the international community. Meanwhile, Rohingya leaders speaking for their rights often face attacks or killings inside the camps.

In Bangladesh, the interim government is making efforts, but the junta remains opposed to citizenship guarantees. Experts also highlight global distractions—the Russia-Ukraine war, Palestine-Israel conflict, divisions among Muslim countries, India-Pakistan tensions, and even Bangladesh's interim political situation—limiting international focus on the Rohingya.

Yet, there is cautious optimism: the Cox's Bazar International Conference (24–26 August) and Bangladesh's improving ties with China—given Beijing's influence over Myanmar—may create new diplomatic openings.

Despite challenges, Bangladesh continues to press forward through international diplomacy. The Cox's Bazar Conference itself will bring together Rohingya voices alongside senior leaders, diplomats, and representatives from countries and UN agencies, all seeking urgent solutions and a roadmap toward justice and safe return. 

This will be followed by advocacy at the UN General Assembly in New York on 30 September, where Bangladesh will push once again for safe, voluntary repatriation while drawing attention to critical funding shortfalls. 

In Bangladesh, the interim government is making efforts, but the junta remains opposed to citizenship guarantees. Experts also highlight global distractions—the Russia-Ukraine war, Palestine-Israel conflict, divisions among Muslim countries, India-Pakistan tensions, and even Bangladesh's interim political situation—limiting international focus on the Rohingya.

Finally, the Doha Follow-Up Conference on 6 December aims to consolidate international commitments, secure funding, and advance durable solutions. Through these concerted efforts, Bangladesh is keeping the Rohingya crisis on the global agenda, determined to turn years of displacement and uncertainty into a path toward justice and hope.

In July 2025, the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC) was formed under the leadership of Nay San Lwin. It brings together Rohingya voices from Myanmar, the refugee camps in Bangladesh, and the wider diaspora. For the first time, the community has a united platform to press for citizenship, justice, and the right to return home safely.

The ARNC also ensures that Rohingya voices are heard in national and international forums. As the Dhaka conference begins and UN sessions draw near, the council is set to become the main voice of the Rohingya struggle on the global stage.

The way forward

When the world looks at the Rohingya crisis, it often sees only numbers—millions displaced, years in limbo. But behind those numbers are lives, futures, and a community still waiting for justice. Their path forward can be told as a series of urgent steps.

First comes humanitarian support—the everyday needs that keep people alive. In the camps, families dream of clean water, proper toilets, clinics for their sick, schools for their children, and counseling for those scarred by trauma. Expanding these services is not charity; it is survival.

Then there is the matter of legal protection. Bangladesh, hosting one of the world's largest refugee populations, cannot carry this burden alone. A clear protection framework is needed so that Rohingya refugees are not just seen as guests, but as people with rights.

At the heart of it all lies safe and voluntary repatriation. The Rohingya want to go home—but only if home means more than a word. They need guarantees of citizenship, land rights, and safety, with international observers standing watch to ensure those promises are kept.

None of this will happen without diplomatic engagement. The world must press harder on Myanmar, not with empty words but with real pressure that makes justice unavoidable.

And for those who cannot return, long-term integration becomes essential—training, education, and work opportunities that allow people to build dignified lives wherever they are.

Finally, there must be international solidarity. Resources, political will, and constant advocacy are the only way to keep this crisis from fading into the background of global attention.

Together, these steps are more than policies; they are a roadmap to dignity for a people who refuse to be forgotten.

The Rohingya crisis is a test of global humanity and solidarity. Bangladesh has provided shelter and safety under extraordinary circumstances. Yet, as eight years have passed since 25 August 2017, persistent violence in Myanmar, a growing refugee population, and shrinking aid flows underscore the urgency for sustained action.

As Bangladesh opens the Cox's Bazar International Conference (24–26 August), the voices of refugees, host communities, and policymakers converge at a critical moment. The world cannot remain passive while over a million lives remain in limbo.

Sheikh Oahida Rahman Oishi is a student of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Email: oahidaoishi@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.