Bangladesh and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) counted 1,208,018 Rohingya refugees as of Oct. 31, as a Dhaka meeting called for pressure on Myanmar over returns.
Anadolu Agency reported that Wednesday’s meeting brought together Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Kelley E. Currie, the U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar. Participants called for coordinated diplomatic pressure on Myanmar from China, India, the United States and the European Union, the agency reported.
In remarks issued through a ministry statement, Ahmed estimated that more than 1.5 million Rohingya were in Bangladesh, while acknowledging that official records showed a lower figure. He said hosting them for an extended period had placed a significant burden on Bangladesh’s economy and said returns should be “safe, voluntary and dignified.”
The Joint Government of Bangladesh–UNHCR Population Dashboard also listed 155,679 biometrically identified new arrivals. They receive family cards rather than individual refugee identity documents.
Most Rohingya fled a Myanmar military crackdown in August 2017 and are housed in camps in Cox’s Bazar. Currie said U.N. and partner efforts included establishing conditions for repatriation and securing citizenship and basic rights for Rohingya in Myanmar.
Ahmed urged the international community to respond responsibly after an expected Nov. 19 judgment in The Gambia v. Myanmar, a case alleging violations of the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Anadolu Agency reported.
