UNHCR: Bangladesh Welcomes 150,000 Rohingya Refugees in 18 Months Amid Ongoing Myanmar Crisis

Arakan Now | 11 July 2025

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reported that approximately 150,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh in the past 18 months, escaping ongoing violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

This is the largest movement of Rohingya refugees since 2017, when over 750,000 people fled military crackdowns in Rakhine. The newly arrived refugees have joined nearly 1 million Rohingya already living in overcrowded campsacross just 24 square kilometers in Cox’s Bazar — one of the most densely populated refugee areas in the world.

By the end of June, 121,000 of these new arrivals had been biometrically registered, with many more believed to be living informally in the camps. Women and children make up the majority, and their presence has sharply increased the need for humanitarian support.

Critical Funding Shortage Threatens Services

UNHCR and its partners have issued an urgent warning: a worsening global funding crisis is putting life-saving services at serious risk. The newly arrived refugees are heavily dependent on assistance in camps already stretched beyond capacity.

Without immediate international support:

* Health services could shut down by September

* Cooking fuel (LPG) supplies may run out

* Food assistance could end by December

* Education for 230,000 children — including 63,000 new arrivals — may be suspended.

Many refugees are already experiencing the effects of funding cuts. As desperation grows, some are resorting to dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and dignity elsewhere.

UNHCR Calls for Global Solidarity

Though the Bangladesh-Myanmar border remains officially closed, Bangladesh has allowed new arrivals to access emergency aid and basic services. UNHCR and humanitarian agencies praised this gesture and continue to advocate for managed access to asylum for civilians fleeing conflict in Myanmar.

“Until peace and stability return to Rakhine State and conditions allow for voluntary, safe return, continued support is essential,” UNHCR stated.

The Rohingya crisis has now entered its eighth year. Bangladesh’s generosity and compassion have been a lifeline for those forced to flee. However, without urgent international funding, the entire humanitarian response — and the lives of hundreds of thousands — now hangs in the balance.