Myanmar Verifies 308,000 Rohingya but Delays Return of 820,000-Name List Amid Civil War
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Aug 25
Myanmar Verifies 308,000 Rohingya but Delays Return of 820,000-Name List Amid Civil War
1 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Aug 25
Summary
308,000 Rohingya on an 820,000-name list from Bangladesh have been verified by Myanmar as former residents, but Naypyidaw says no repatriation will begin until security improves in Rakhine State.
Rakhine remains unsafe because Myanmar's military no longer controls most of the state, the Arakan Army holds large areas, and analysts say the same military accused of genocidal abuses in 2017 still dominates the government.
1.2 million Rohingya remain in Bangladesh, where overcrowded camps face underfunding, ration cuts, insecurity and shrinking access to work and education, pushing more refugees toward risky sea journeys and other desperate coping strategies.
$710 million is needed in 2026 for urgent refugee and host-community support in Bangladesh, with only about 60% funded, while safe, voluntary and dignified return to Myanmar appears further away than at any time since 2017.
With rebels now running a shadow state in Rakhine, could they be the unlikely key to the Rohingya's safe return?
Is Myanmar's sudden approval of 308,000 refugee names a genuine step toward peace, or a calculated diplomatic illusion to buy time?
As camp funds dry up and landslides loom, what desperate choices will a million trapped refugees make when survival becomes impossible?
Only a Fraction Allowed Home: The 2026 Rohingya Repatriation Standoff and the Geopolitical Barriers to Return
Overview
The Rohingya repatriation process remains at a standstill as Myanmar’s military-backed government enforces a restrictive verification system, rooted in the 1982 Citizenship Law that excludes the Rohingya and forces them to renounce their identity. Most refugees cannot meet the strict criteria, especially after losing documents during past violence, leaving the majority ineligible for return. Meanwhile, ongoing conflict between the military and the Arakan Army has displaced control in Rakhine State, making junta-led repatriation agreements meaningless. As international funding declines, Bangladesh faces an unsustainable burden, while regional powers prioritize their own interests, leaving Rohingya refugees trapped in legal limbo and without hope of a safe return.