Rohingya refugees rally in Bangladesh camps to demand safe return to Myanmar

In Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar convened on Tuesday to mark the ninth anniversary of their exodus. The demonstrators called for their safe return to their homeland, Rakhine state, where they fled in 2017 following a government crackdown. Approximately 1 million Rohingya now reside in sprawling camps in southeastern Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh government has previously attempted to repatriate the refugees twice, but none were willing to return due to security concerns. The Bangladesh government explicitly stated that it will not force any Rohingya to return. In January, the International Court of Justice began hearings in a case accusing Myanmar of genocide against the Rohingya in 2017.

The court examined documentary evidence, expert testimony, and private witness statements regarding mass killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of villages. International bodies, including the United Nations, have accused Myanmar of ethnic cleansing and genocide following the military campaign against the Rohingya. Myanmar maintains that its actions were a legitimate counter-terrorism operation and does not constitute genocide.