In the dark tapestry of the 21st century’s humanitarian catastrophes, the plight of the Rohingya stands out like a wound that refuses to heal. It is not merely the chronicle of a persecuted ethnic group—it is a mirror held up to the world’s conscience, reflecting both its moral triumphs and its shameful silences. The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have for decades lived on the margins of recognition, stripped of identity, rights, and dignity. The 2017 exodus—marked by flames, corpses, and broken dreams—led nearly a million Rohingyas to seek refuge in Bangladesh, turning the Bay of Bengal’s eastern shores into a sanctuary of compassion and burden.
A Legacy of Displacement and Denial
The roots of Rohingya marginalization reach deep into colonial and post-colonial histories, tangled in narratives of otherness and fear. Once recognized inhabitants of the Arakan region, the Rohingyas were gradually erased from the national imagination of Myanmar, culminating in the 1982 Citizenship Law that denied them nationality and branded them as “foreigners.” Deprived of education, healthcare, and political participation, they became ghosts in their own homeland. Periodic waves of violence—especially the horrific military crackdown in 2017—saw villages torched, women raped, and entire families massacred in what the United Nations termed a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”
Exile in the Land of Empathy
As Myanmar’s flames devoured the Rohingyas’ past, Bangladesh opened its arms in an act of extraordinary humanity. In the green hills of Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp emerged almost overnight. A fragile ecosystem of hope and hardship bloomed—rows of tarpaulin shelters, schools in tents, food queues stretching like rivers. Yet with compassion came complex challenges: how long could a densely populated developing country shoulder the weight of a million displaced souls?
Humanity versus Sovereignty
Bangladesh’s gesture, born of ethical urgency, soon collided with the hard realities of national interest. The prolonged presence of Rohingyas has strained resources, distorted local economies, and heightened security risks through the emergence of trafficking networks and militancy fears. Forests have been cleared to make way for camps, while host communities struggle with inflation and unemployment. A subtle friction simmers between empathy and endurance—how to protect the vulnerable without endangering one’s own?
The Failing Guardianship of the International Community
The global response, though rich in rhetoric, remains hollow in resolve. Statements of concern echo in UN halls, but action stumbles. While international aid has provided lifelines, it has not paved pathways to justice. Major powers like China and India, driven by geopolitical calculus, have shielded Myanmar from stronger sanctions or interventions. The International Court of Justice and the ICC have initiated proceedings, but their glacial pace offers little solace to the grieving. The Rohingya crisis has, in effect, exposed the moral anemia of modern diplomacy.
Towards a Just and Durable Solution
Hope, though wounded, persists. But hope alone is not a strategy. A just resolution demands:
Voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation, guaranteed by international monitors and anchored in legal recognition.
Regional cooperation that transcends political rivalry, uniting South Asian and ASEAN actors in principled solidarity.
Justice through international legal mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent future atrocities.
Investment in education, skill-building, and community resilience within camps to preserve dignity and agency.
Reform of global institutions, including the UN Security Council, to restore faith in international justice and human rights enforcement.
A Crisis of the Soul
The Rohingya crisis is not just a political dilemma—it is a moral test for humanity. Bangladesh, with its limited means and immense compassion, has illuminated what ethical courage looks like. But such courage must not stand alone. The silence of the powerful, the slowness of justice, and the apathy of distance must be shattered. For every refugee child who draws a burning home in crayon, and every mother who carries trauma in her eyes, the world owes not just sympathy, but action. Let this crisis not end as a mere chapter in the history of suffering, but as a turning point in the story of justice, where the voiceless are heard, and the stateless finally belong.
Author: Professor Dr. Md. Abu Bakar Siddique widely known as Dr Dipu Siddiqui, Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Royal University of Dhaka. email: a.siddique@royal.edu.bd