New Brutality Against the Rohingya and the Way Forward

New Brutality Against the Rohingya and the Way Forward

If the world's most persecuted people had to be named in a single phrase, that name would be the Rohingya.

A nation with no state of its own.

No citizenship.

No secure future.

For years, they have done nothing but flee... in the hope of survival.

But on 2 May 2024, another horrific massacre took place in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

In May 2026, Human Rights Watch published a heartbreaking investigative report.

According to the report, at least 170 Rohingya Muslims who had fled near Hwar Sari village in northern Rakhine were brutally killed by the Arakan Army.

Witnesses say the death toll could be much higher.

The massacre was planned, organized, and ruthless.

Women, children, and the elderly... no one was spared.

The most disturbing part is this...

The Myanmar military, which had assured the Rohingya of their safety, made no attempt to prevent the killings.

Instead, various accounts and testimonies suggest that its role was highly questionable.

Meanwhile, the Arakan Army has denied all allegations, claiming that its operations complied with international law.

However, satellite imagery, videos, and testimonies from 41 eyewitnesses have cast serious doubt on those claims.

The biggest controversy surrounding the Rohingya is this...

Are they really outsiders?

History says no.

As early as the 8th century, Muslim traders, sailors, and settlers were present in the Arakan region.

Over time, they integrated with the local population and developed what became the Rohingya identity.

From the 15th to the 17th century, they were an important part of Arakan's population.

But colonial rule, political changes, and the rise of military nationalism transformed their fate.

The 1982 Citizenship Law rendered them stateless.

Then came decades of systematic persecution.

1978...

1991...

1992...

And most devastatingly, 2017.

Millions of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh to save their lives.

Today, nearly 1.2 million Rohingya are living in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has fulfilled its humanitarian responsibility.

But this prolonged crisis has placed enormous pressure on the country's economy, environment, security, and local communities.

Every year, billions of taka are spent simply to manage the refugee crisis.

At the same time, the risks of drug trafficking, human trafficking, and organized crime continue to grow.

But the question is...

Why has there still been no solution?

The answer lies in geopolitics.

Myanmar is not just another country.

It is at the center of the strategic interests of China, India, and the United States.

China's oil and gas pipelines...

Deep-sea ports...

India's Kaladan Project...

And the United States' strategic plans in the Indo-Pacific...

Together, these factors have turned the Rohingya crisis into not only a humanitarian issue but also a global geopolitical reality.

So, what is the way forward?

According to experts, there is no single solution.

Bangladesh must work simultaneously on several diplomatic fronts.

Engagement with the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army...

Mediation by China and India...

A more active role from the United States...

Political engagement by the OIC...

And coordinated efforts by ASEAN and the broader international community...

Only through such a comprehensive approach can a meaningful path toward a solution emerge.

Today, the question is not only about the Rohingya.

It is about humanity.

Will an entire people simply disappear into the pages of history?

Or will the international community finally step forward?

Ensuring the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya is not Bangladesh's responsibility alone.

It is the moral responsibility of the entire world.

Because...

Protecting the existence of a people means protecting the very essence of humanity.