150,000 new Rohingya took shelter in Bangladesh in past 18 months: UN

Ongoing violence and human rights violations in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have forced an additional 150,000 Rohingya to seek refuge in Bangladesh over the past 18 months, according to a report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday (July 11).

Published on the agency's official website, the report states that the ongoing conflict in Myanmar—particularly military operations in Rakhine—has driven thousands more Rohingya to cross into Bangladesh. Since the brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s military in August 2017, more than 750,000 Rohingya had already fled to Bangladesh. With the recent influx, this number has grown significantly in recent months.

UNHCR noted that Bangladesh has long shown generosity by hosting the Rohingya population. Currently, nearly 1 million Rohingya live within just 24 square kilometers in Cox’s Bazar, making it one of the most densely populated refugee settlements in the world. The arrival of an additional 150,000 refugees has further intensified the crisis.

According to the report, biometric registration has been completed for approximately 121,000 of the newly arrived refugees. Most of them are women and children, now living in overcrowded camps. These refugees are heavily reliant on humanitarian assistance, which has placed immense pressure on aid agencies.

Volunteers and aid workers face major challenges in reaching those who have yet to be registered, as they still lack access to essential services such as food, healthcare, education, and other basic needs.

UNHCR expressed serious concern over a growing funding gap. Without urgent additional funding, critical services could be severely disrupted by September—including health care and access to cooking fuel (LPG). There’s even a risk that food assistance could be suspended by December.

The report highlights that nearly 230,000 Rohingya children are at risk of losing access to education, including about 63,000 who recently arrived in Bangladesh.

The UN and other humanitarian agencies have called on the international community to stand with Bangladesh and neighboring countries. They urged continued support until peace and stability return to Rakhine State and a safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya becomes possible.