Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Bangladesh prime minister blames Myanmar for Rohingya repatriation failure

Bangladesh's prime minister has blamed Myanmar for the failure of a recent attempt to repatriate Rohingya refugees, saying its neighbouring country did not do enough to win the community's trust.

The comments from Sheikh Hasina came three weeks after a fresh push to return the Muslim minority to Myanmar's conflict-scarred Rakhine state that fell flat when no-one turned up.


Some 740,000 Rohingya fled their villages in Rakhine following a military crackdown in August 2017, joining nearly 200,000 already living in squalid camps across the border in southeast Bangladesh.

"We've seen Myanmar could not win Rohingya's trust in creating a conducive situation (in Rakhine) for their dignified return," Hasina said in parliament late Wednesday.

"We had full preparation, but still the repatriation did not start... uncertainty looms over Rohingya getting back their homes, land and other properties."

Hasina said she had asked other Asian nations including China, India and Japan to help resolve the crisis.

Her comments reflect Dhaka's frustration over the lack of a resolution to the refugee crisis. A previous repatriation offer was rejected by Rohingya leaders in October.

Her government has also started to crack down on activity in the camps amid a recent outbreak of violence and rising tensions with locals.

Dhaka has imposed a virtual internet blackout in the camps in the border towns of Teknaf and Ukhia by cutting access to 3G and 4G mobile internet networks.

Expects have said 2G networks are too slow for internet use.

Rohingya leaders have repeatedly said the refugees will not return to their homeland unless their safety is ensured, their rights and citizenship are granted and they are allowed to resettle in their villages.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an official minority by the Myanmar government, which considers them Bengali interlopers despite many families having lived in the country for generations.

More For You

tulsi-gabbard-trump

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testifies during a House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on March 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. The hearing was held to assess worldwide threats in 2026.

(Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Tulsi Gabbard seeks criminal probe into officials behind Trump's impeachment

  • Gabbard has referred the Trump impeachment whistleblower and former intelligence watchdog Michael Atkinson to the Justice Department for criminal investigation
  • The released documents identify no specific crimes, and Gabbard admits she is "leaving it up to the lawyers" to determine what laws were broken
  • The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee warns the move will "chill future whistleblowers"

THE director of National Intelligence in the US, Tulsi Gabbard, has sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department seeking investigations into the whistleblower whose complaint led to president Donald Trump's first impeachment in 2019, as well as the former intelligence community watchdog who handled the case.

The referrals, confirmed by a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and first reported by Fox News, target the still-anonymous whistleblower who raised concerns about Trump's July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Keep ReadingShow less