State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has called on the international community to exert meaningful pressure on Myanmar to ensure the sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingya to their homeland. Speaking at 'Confluence 2026: A Convening of Partnership, Appreciation and Commitment,' an event organized by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Kobir emphasized the need for collective global action to resolve the protracted Rohingya crisis.
Rohingya Crisis: A Forgotten Issue
Kobir warned against allowing the Rohingya crisis to become a forgotten issue. He stressed the importance of not letting global attention drift away from the plight of the Rohingya, who have been displaced from Myanmar since August 2017. The event marked the ninth anniversary of the mass displacement and recognized the efforts of Bangladesh and international organizations in addressing the humanitarian crisis.
Call for Shared Responsibility
The State Minister highlighted the need for the international community to share the burden of the crisis with Bangladesh. He called for expanding opportunities for third-country resettlement and pursuing other durable solutions for the Rohingya. Kobir reiterated the government's commitment to making the Rohingya crisis one of its foremost foreign policy priorities.
IRC Deputy Regional Director for Asia Hasina Rahman echoed the call for renewed global attention and funding. She cautioned that declining funds and diminishing global focus required a reevaluation of the approach to the nine-year-old crisis. Rahman emphasized the need to prioritize the protection and needs of the most vulnerable.
The event featured two panel discussions that brought together representatives from the Bangladesh government, donor agencies, humanitarian organizations, Rohingya and host communities, and academia. The discussions underscored the importance of sustained international support, stronger protection measures, and continued access to essential services for the Rohingya. Panelists called for a long-term and integrated approach that places the rights, dignity, and aspirations of both the Rohingya and host communities at the center of the response.
