Myanmar confirms 180,000 Rohingya refugees repatriation

Myanmar has officially confirmed that 180,000 Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh are eligible to return, signaling a possible breakthrough in the long-stalled Rohingya Repatriation Myanmar Process.

The announcement was made on Friday following high-level discussions in Bangkok between representatives of Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Than Swe.

The confirmation of the Rohingya Repatriation Myanmar process comes as a relief to many Rohingya refugees, who have been living in overcrowded camps in southeastern Bangladesh, which is the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Most of these refugees fled Myanmar in 2017 due to a violent military crackdown, while others arrived earlier. However, many Rohingya insist that all displaced individuals should be allowed to return home.

Over the past year, approximately 70,000 Rohingya refugees crossed into Bangladesh, escaping worsening hunger and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

The Rohingya Repatriation Myanmar process has faced repeated delays, with Bangladesh submitting a list of 800,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar between 2018 and 2020. Myanmar has also indicated that the final verification process for another 70,000 refugees is still ongoing.

Despite this development, concerns remain regarding the safety and rights of returning Rohingya. Previous repatriation attempts in 2018 and 2019 failed as Rohingya refugees feared persecution upon their return.

Many Rohingya demanded full citizenship and guarantees of dignity and security before agreeing to repatriation.

Earlier, the deadline for Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan expired on March 31, prompting the initiation of the repatriation process for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented refugees from April 1.

In preparation for their return, authorities have arranged food and healthcare facilities to support Afghans as they transition back to their homeland. Meanwhile, officials have issued stern warnings of strict punitive measures against individuals who remain in the country beyond the deadline.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior had previously directed all ACC holders to exit the country by the given date, reinforcing the government’s stance on the repatriation policy.