Bangladesh Rejects Myanmar’s ‘Bengali’ Label for Rohingya, Reaffirms Repatriation Stance

Bangladesh has firmly rejected Myanmar’s description of the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh as “Bengalis,” reiterating that the displaced community has its own distinct ethnic identity.

The position was conveyed during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday between Director General of the Myanmar Wing, Toufique-ur-Rahman, and Myanmar’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, U Kyaw Soe Moe.

During the meeting, Bangladesh raised concerns over a statement on the Rohingya issue issued by Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 15, saying that it was based on inaccurate statistics. Dhaka specifically disputed Myanmar’s figures regarding the number of forcibly displaced Rohingya sheltered in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh emphasized that the actual number of Rohingya refugees is reflected in the registration records maintained under the United Nations system. It also urged Myanmar to expedite the verification process of displaced Rohingya in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and understandings.

The Bangladeshi side further stressed that the verification process should include Rohingya who fled Rakhine State after 2017, as well as children born in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Officials said that, beyond the verified figure of 828,824 Rohingya, information on additional registered refugees would be shared with Myanmar in due course.

Bangladesh also rejected Myanmar’s characterization of the Rohingya as “Bengalis,” stating that they constitute a distinct ethnic community—a status that Myanmar itself had acknowledged until recent years.

Ambassador U Kyaw Soe Moe assured Bangladesh that its concerns and observations would be conveyed to his government. He also reaffirmed Myanmar’s commitment to accelerating the verification process and initiating the repatriation of verified Rohingya refugees.

Bangladesh reiterated that the only sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis is the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of the displaced people to their homeland in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.