COX'S BAZAR — Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees rallied in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on August 25, 2026, to mark the ninth anniversary of their exodus from Myanmar. Protesters demanded justice, dignity, and a safe return home.

The United Council of Rohingya refugee group organized the protest to remember atrocities and draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis. According to journalist Tanvir Chowdhury, they want justice, they want dignity, and a safe return home.

More than 1.2 million Rohingya people live in about 30 camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to UN figures. Camp conditions have deteriorated due to funding reductions, limited rations, and cuts in services. Oxfam warned that reduced humanitarian resources could undo progress in Cox’s Bazar as essential services are under pressure.

Save the Children stated that one in three Rohingya refugees is expected to face crisis hunger levels or worse between September and December 2026. Bangladeshi authorities stated they are overstretched and called for the dignified return of Rohingya to Myanmar.

A joint statement by 16 diplomatic missions in Bangladesh, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada, said conditions in Myanmar do not allow for safe repatriation. The statement noted that "Rohingya refugees have a right to return to their homes in Myanmar." It added that conflict is escalating across Rakhine and humanitarian need is rising, with deepening insecurity, airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, and blockades on aid worsening the crisis.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for renewed global attention and action for the Rohingya. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said "Rohingya people in Myanmar, Bangladesh and across the region face deepening insecurity, shrinking protection space and diminishing prospects for durable solutions, exacerbated by funding cuts impacting life-saving assistance."

Nay San Lwin, cofounder of an advocacy group, showed the lack of progress over the last decade. He said nine years have passed with delayed justice and no clear path to repatriation with full rights and dignity. He urged international allies to unite to pressure the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army to end violence against the Rohingya and establish safe conditions for survivors to return home. He added that all they ask is to return to their homeland with full rights, peace, safety, dignity and justice.

Why It Matters

The rally reflects the prolonged displacement of a population that accounts for one in seven of the global stateless people. Before the 2017 displacement, an estimated 1.4 million Rohingya lived in Myanmar. The 2017 Myanmar military crackdown is the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which was filed by The Gambia in 2019.

Funding cuts and insecurity have led to increased dangerous sea journeys. In 2025, more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on unsafe maritime journeys out of Myanmar, during which 900 died, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Research titled "MYANMAR: ROHINGYA RETURNS PLAN PUTS THOUSANDS AT RISK" in Human Rights Documents Online shows the risks associated with return plans.

Timeline

In 1982, the Rohingya were denied citizenship in Myanmar. In 2017, Human Rights Watch reported at least 200 Rohingya villages were destroyed and burned by the military, and Doctors Without Borders reported at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of the crackdown, including more than 700 children under five. The Gambia filed a genocide case at the ICJ in 2019. The Homeland Security Department published a notice titled "Designation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status" on 2021-05-25. Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken deemed the Rohingya crisis a genocide in 2022. The Homeland Security Department published a notice titled "Extension and Redesignation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status" on 2022-09-27. In 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on unsafe maritime journeys out of Myanmar, during which 900 died.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that August 25, 2026, marks nine years since nearly 1 million Rohingya were forced to flee Myanmar. Over 1.3 million Rohingya refugees live in Cox’s Bazar. A study titled Myanmar's Rohingya Refugees The Search for Human Security was published.

Nay San Lwin stated that the nine-year commemoration must spark immediate action, not just statements, and that supporters must pressure the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. Research titled MYANMAR: ROHINGYA RETURNS PLAN PUTS THOUSANDS AT RISK appears in Human Rights Documents Online. Safe return is complicated by the Myanmar military and armed groups like the Arakan Army controlling territory in Rakhine. Malaysia hosts 192,481 Rohingya refugees.

How Sources Differ

August 25, 2026, marks nine years since nearly 1 million Rohingya were forced to flee Myanmar, while the Rohingya have been denied citizenship in Myanmar since 1982. The anniversary of the exodus, whereas Malaysia hosts 192,481 Rohingya refugees. Focuses on the timeline of displacement, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the Rohingya as "one of, if not the, most discriminated people in the world." marks the nine-year milestone, while former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken deemed the Rohingya crisis a genocide in 2022.

Cites the number of those who fled, while the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on unsafe maritime journeys out of Myanmar in 2025, during which 900 died. Shows the anniversary, while UN figures state that more than 75 percent of the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh comprises women and children. The date of the exodus, while Human Rights Watch reported at least 200 Rohingya villages were destroyed and burned by the military in 2017. Marks the nine years since the flight, while Doctors Without Borders reported at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of the 2017 crackdown, including more than 700 children under five.