Bangladesh is facing mounting pressure as complex tensions on its southeastern border with Myanmar intensify. The spotlight now not only falls on the 1.3 million Rohingya refugees living in precarious conditions but also on the Arakan Army’s growing control in Rakhine State, raising serious security and humanitarian concerns.
1. Rohingya Crisis Deepens
On the eighth anniversary of the 2017 Rohingya exodus, tens of thousands of refugees in Cox’s Bazar demanded a safe return to Myanmar’s Rakhine State. They carried signs such as “No more refugee life” and “Repatriation the ultimate solution” during protests in Kutupalong camp. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, called on the international community to help draft a roadmap for the refugees’ dignified return home.
Yunus warned that Bangladesh has no further domestic resources to support the refugees and emphasized the need for global cooperation. Meanwhile, critical services in Cox’s Bazar are collapsing. Over 4,500 UNICEF learning centers have shut, leaving nearly half a million refugee children without access to school and pushing many into child labor or early marriage. The UNHCR warns that unless funding increases urgently, essential services like food and healthcare may cease by later this year.
2. Arakan Army’s Advancements Raise Security Alarm
Security threats are mounting as the Arakan Army (AA) has consolidated control over much of Rakhine State and now holds sway over nearly the entire 271 km Bangladesh–Myanmar border, following its capture of Maungdaw in December 2024.
This has increased cross-border violence. In February 2024, mortar shells and gunfire from Myanmar fell into Bangladesh, injuring civilians and prompting border area closures. Locals reported sightings of AA fighters inside Bangladesh, including at a festival in Bandarban, stirring alarm over sovereignty breaches.
3. Impact on Fishermen, Trade, and Livelihoods
Bangladeshi fishermen along the Naf River are being targeted by the Arakan Army. Since December 2024, over 150 fishermen have been abducted, and boats and catch have been seized. These actions, combined with demands for unauthorized transit taxes and repeated attacks, have disrupted trade and left many vessels idle.
4. Compounded Risks: Governance, Repatriation, and Security
The entwined challenges of the refugee crisis and the security threat from the AA have put Bangladesh in an uncomfortable position. Without secure and cooperative infrastructure on the Myanmar side, effective repatriation seems unattainable. The dynamics between AA, the Myanmar junta, Rohingya groups, and Bangladesh’s government are fragile and increasingly volatile.
Fortify Rights, a human rights group, has called for a humanitarian corridor that would allow safe aid passage into Rakhine. Analysts warn that ethnically driven AA governance and cross-border power play are undermining prospects for peace and long-term stability.
Why It Matters Globally
Human Rights: Without intervention, Myanmar’s Rohingya could face worsening persecution and displacement.
Regional Stability: Border insecurity risks destabilizing South Asia’s geopolitically important corridors.
Humanitarian Urgency: Service collapses in refugee camps call for immediate international responses.
Security Threats: AA’s control and armed incursions limit Bangladesh’s ability to govern and protect its border.
What’s Next
International funding and political engagement are essential to sustain the refugee community and prevent humanitarian collapse.
Security coordination between Bangladesh and international agencies is needed to guard the border against further AA encroachments.
Diplomatic efforts must include the AA in humanitarian negotiations to facilitate safe aid routes and possible repatriation.
Monitoring and advocacy from global institutions can hold all parties—the Myanmar junta, AA, and Bangladesh accountable.
Summary Table
Highlight Details
Refugee crisis Rohingya mark 8 years in Bangladesh; Bangladesh urges global assistance.
Humanitarian collapse Schools, health services, and food systems are failing due to funding gaps.
Arakan Army’s control AA controls Rakhine and Bangladesh border, raising security issues.
Cross-border disruptions Fishermen abducted; trade blocked; sovereignty threatened.
International urgency Crisis demands combined humanitarian and diplomatic response globally.
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