CNI News
24 March 2025
Although head of the Bangladesh government, Muhammad Yunus said that Muslim refugees would be sent back to Rakhine State in 2026, it was impossible in practice, political commentators told CNI News.
He would make an attempt to ensure to ensure that Muslim refugees could celebrate next year's Ramadan Festival in their native places in Rakhine State, said Mohammed Yunus during a visit to the Cox's Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh with UN Secretary-General Guterres on 14 March 2025.
Although there might be discussions to repatriate Muslim refugees, it would not be easy to do so, Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-Myanmar affairs commentator told CNI News.
While seeing Muslim refugees
"It seems they understand that this issue needs to be resolved. I can't say whether it's easy or not to implement what he said. Bangladesh is really worried about the Rohingya issue. But it's impossible to accept the refugees at once. AA also said it would discuss this as a temporary solution. It's not easy for the AA to really accept the refugees. Even the people in Rakhine State still are finding it difficult to resolve their livelihood problem." she said.
He believed that It was necessary to discuss the repatriation of Muslim refugees in Bangladesh with the Arakan Army (AA), said the UN Secretary General Guterres on March 15, 2025.
After that, leader of the ARSA and nine other suspected members were arrested by the Bangladesh government, reported the news agencies based in Bangladesh on 18 March 2025.
To send Muslim refugees back to Rakhine State during 2026 might be the Bangladesh's expectation; if Rakhine State was free from the Myanmar Tatmadaw in 2026, the AA could carry out the repatriation of Muslim refugees, U Than Soe Naing, a political commentator, told CNI News.
While seeing leaders of the AA
" This is the Bangladesh's expectation. If Rakhine State is free from the troops of the military council in 2026, the AA may carry out the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. It is likely that Yunus said, anticipating Rakhine State will be free from the Myanmar Tatmadaw in 2026. Because Bangladesh considered that it should restrict the movement of the ARSA, it arrested the leader of the ARSA. In cooperation with the international community, the AA could plan the repatriation of the refugees in 2026." he said.
The Myanmar government and local authorities had a lot to do to ensure that Muslim refugees could return home with dignity, said Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain, advisor for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh government.
Because of battles that broke out during 2017, about 1.2 Muslim people fled to Bangladesh and they have been staying in Bangladesh as refugees, according to news reports.
However, the Myanmar government has said the number of refugees was less than 1.2 million.
