United Nations confirms 150,000 Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh in one and a half years

Over the past 18 months, Bangladesh has witnessed the largest influx of Rohingya refugees since the mass exodus of the predominantly Muslim minority from Myanmar. The United Nations reported this development on Friday.

According to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), approximately 150,000 Rohingya have arrived at refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, since the beginning of 2024.

UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva that violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, coupled with ongoing conflict, have forced thousands of Rohingya to seek safety in Bangladesh.

He noted that this marks the largest movement of Rohingya refugees since 2017, when approximately 750,000 fled violence in Rakhine State over several months.

Baloch commended Bangladesh for generously providing refuge to Rohingya families for generations. Since the military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, around one million members of the Rohingya community have taken shelter in relief camps in Bangladesh.

According to Baloch, the camps, spread over 24 square kilometers (nine square miles), have become one of the most densely populated areas in the world.