On August 25, 2026, thousands of Rohingya refugees gathered in the sprawling, crowded camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, to observe Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day. Marking the ninth anniversary of the brutal military campaign that forced them from their homeland, refugees of all ages walked from various corners of the camps to join collective gatherings. Carrying posters and banners demanding justice, safety, dignity, and their right to return to Myanmar, the community united in grief, resilience, and a shared determination to keep their history alive.
The commemoration featured emotional speeches, prayers, and artistic expressions. Banners depicted burning villages, fleeing families, and lost lives, serving as stark reminders of the trauma that began nearly a decade ago. Women and girls, some dressed in traditional thanakas and others in burqas, stood together with a unified message. Many of the children attending the event, carried on the shoulders of their parents, have grown up entirely within the confines of the refugee camps, possessing no personal memories of their homeland. For those unable to find space in the densely packed crowd, the events were watched from afar with tearful eyes.
During the gathering, Sirajul Islam, a Rohingya poet, writer, and human rights activist, expressed the bittersweet nature of the anniversary. "Every year, we commemorate this day with the only hope to return home before the next anniversary comes," Islam said. "Today, we are marking the ninth anniversary but this time with both desolation and hope and with the searing question: Will our hope ever come true?"
The historical tragedy began on August 25, 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a coordinated campaign to purge the Rohingya community from Rakhine State, using an attack on a police station as a pretext. International human rights organizations and Rohingya civil society groups report that more than 300 Rohingya villages were partially or completely destroyed during the onslaught. The military’s actions included widespread atrocities: women and girls were raped in front of their families, children were thrown into fires, and residents were burned alive inside their homes. Countless others were arrested and imprisoned, with their current whereabouts still unknown to their families. Many refugees also perished when their overcrowded trawlers capsized in the Naf River as they desperately tried to cross into Bangladesh.
Doctors Without Borders estimated that at least 9,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority died—mostly from direct violence—in Rakhine State within the first month of the military campaign alone. Recalling the horror of that period, Rohingya teacher Wai Yan shared his experience during the remembrance event. "I witnessed the brutal massacre of my Rohingya community by the Myanmar military in 2017. The bullets that flew over my head were like raindrops," Wai Yan said. "All I saw were dead bodies with no one to bury them."
Nine years later, the pain remains unresolved, and the prospects for a safe return have grown increasingly fragile. Not a single Rohingya refugee has been able to return to Myanmar through an official repatriation process since the crisis began. Bangladesh, a densely populated nation, continues to bear the responsibility of hosting more than one million refugees. Previous repatriation attempts failed because the safety, fundamental rights, and dignity of the refugees could not be guaranteed in Myanmar. Advocates emphasize that while humanitarian aid has sustained the displaced population, a permanent solution requires political action, including Myanmar recognizing the Rohingya as native people and granting them full citizenship and rights.
Compounding the tragedy, the Rohingya who remain in Myanmar, as well as those hoping to return, face a devastating new conflict in Rakhine State. A civil war between the Myanmar military and the rebel Arakan Army has trapped civilians in a fresh wave of violence. Both factions have targeted Rohingya villages, resulting in further killings, looting, and arson. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, the Arakan Army has subjected Rohingya civilians to unlawful detentions, forced recruitment of youth, and extrajudicial killings—abuses that may constitute war crimes. Many Rohingya fear the Arakan Army's brutality is designed to drive the remaining population out of the country entirely, mirroring the military's 2017 campaign.
Despite the ongoing displacement and the double threat of violence, the Rohingya community remains committed to preserving their history. Abdo Rohim, an experienced Rohingya teacher, writer, and humanitarian worker, emphasized the critical importance of memory. "If we don’t preserve our stories, others will forget what happened to us," Rohim stated. "It is our responsibility to observe this important day, not only to remember our lost loved ones, but also to remind the world of what happened to us."
The United Nations and various international human rights organizations continue to call for an end to the persecution, killings, and systemic impunity in Myanmar, urging accountability and the restoration of Rohingya rights. However, these appeals have largely been ignored, leaving families trapped in exile and facing an uncertain future. Nevertheless, the annual commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the community's resilience and their ongoing struggle for justice and a peaceful future in their native land.
