Growing Violence, Dwindling Aid: Rohingya Crisis at an Inflection Point

More than six years after more than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Bangladesh, the now protracted crisis has reached an important inflection point. Conditions in the world’s largest refugee camp are worsening, with a spike in killings, crime and a four-fold rise in abductions compounded by dwindling humanitarian assistance. Many refugees have little hope for the future because safe repatriation seems impossible when Myanmar is ruled by the very military that forced them out in 2017. On top of that, lack of funds has forced the UN to cut food support from $12 a month to $8 – less than 27 cents a day. Banned from working in Bangladesh, more young men are joining armed groups just to get a regular income, while families are risking perilous journeys at sea. 

In this Crisis Group event, our panellists provide insight on the conditions Rohingya refugees face in Bangladesh and other host countries. They will also discuss the policy proposals put forth by both the Bangladesh authorities and international stakeholders, including updates from the 2023 Global Refugee Forum and Joint Response Plan with emphasis on what should be done to turn the tide on the downward trajectory of the current crisis.

See our recent report Crisis Mounts for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh.

Panelists:
Thomas Kean | Senior Myanmar and Bangladesh Consultant, International Crisis Group 
Razia Sultana | Rohingya Advocate and Lawyer, Founder of Rights for Women Welfare Organisation in Bangladesh and Recipient of 2019 International Women of Courage Award
KAM Morshed | Senior Director for Advocacy, Innovation and MEAL, BRAC, Bangladesh
Lilliane Fan | International Director and Co-Founder of Geutanyoë Foundation 

Moderator:
Pierre Prakash | Asia Director, International Crisis Group