Rohingya Refugees in Exile for Nearly 9 Years; UN: 1.2 Million Still See No Way Home

As the ninth anniversary of the mass exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar approaches, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a warning that with Myanmar’s ongoing turmoil and dwindling international aid funding, the Rohingya refugee crisis is not easing but is in fact worsening further.

Among them, by 2025 nearly 900 Rohingya have gone missing or perished during sea crossings, setting a record high.

UNHCR spokesperson Baloch said Tuesday in Geneva that around 1.2 million Rohingya refugees are currently stranded in Bangladesh, the vast majority residing in camps in the southeastern Cox’s Bazar area, with their livelihoods highly dependent on international aid.

He said that against a backdrop of overlapping global crises and a constant reduction of humanitarian resources, any further reduction in international support would further worsen the plight of the refugees.

In August 2017, large-scale violent conflict broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, forcing around 750,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, making it one of the largest refugee flows worldwide in recent years. However, Myanmar’s ongoing conflict and instability to this day have prevented most refugees from safely returning home.

The UNHCR noted that since 2024, with conflicts in Rakhine State escalating again, about another 150,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh to seek asylum, placing even more pressure on an already overwhelmed humanitarian system.

With long-term detention in refugee camps and no future in sight, more and more Rohingya are choosing to risk dangerous sea crossings, hoping to reach other countries in pursuit of livelihood opportunities.

UN data show that by 2025 nearly 900 Rohingya refugees have disappeared or died along the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal routes, making it the deadliest year on record.

Many refugees set out to sea in overcrowded and unsafe boats, and after drifting at sea for weeks, they encounter shipwrecks or end up missing.

The UNHCR warns that if refugees continue to see no future that is safe and dignified, the frequency of such high-risk maritime migration activities may further increase.

Meanwhile, insufficient international aid funding has become another severe challenge.

In May this year, the UN and its partners, together with the Bangladeshi government, launched a fundraising campaign aiming to raise US$710.5 million (about 3 billion ringgit) to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees and local host communities.

However, this fundraising target is 26% lower than last year’s, reflecting the immense pressure facing global humanitarian assistance at present.

The UNHCR said that in past years, assistance provided by the international community helped maintain food supplies, medical services, education, and protection in the refugee camps, but there are still large unmet needs, with the most severe impact on vulnerable groups such as women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

Baloch called on the international community not to forget the Rohingya refugees, to continue supporting Bangladesh’s humanitarian actions, and to double efforts to promote peace and stability in Myanmar, thereby creating the conditions for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees in the future.