Bangladesh has taken serious exception to recent submissions made by Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which the Rohingya people were referred to as “Bengalis.”
The government stated that this narrative is a deliberate attempt to categorise the community as illegal migrants to justify “clearance operations” as counter-terrorism measures and divert global attention from atrocities committed during the 2016-17 period.
According to a press release issued on Friday, the Rohingya are a distinct ethnic group that evolved over centuries in Arakan long before it became part of the Barman Kingdom in 1785.
Their presence in the region predates modern borders and is supported by historical records and colonial demographic accounts. While the term was initially an exonym, the community adopted the nomenclature ‘Rohingya’ to self-identify as they faced increasing marginalisation in Burma.
The government highlighted that the Rohingya were an integral part of Myanmar’s politics, society, and government until the promulgation of the 1982 Citizenship Law.
This law initiated their exclusion based on ethno-religious considerations, though they continued to hold voting rights until being fully disenfranchised during the 2015 general elections.
The government described the eventual eviction of the community from Rakhine as the “final act” of a planned destruction to render them stateless.
Dhaka further clarified that the Rohingya possess a distinct language and cultural heritage that is separate from Bangla, despite similarities with the Chattogram dialect.
The systematic effort to label them ‘Bengalis’ is viewed as a denial of their fundamental rights, including citizenship, despite being recognised as “lawful residents of Burma” in a 1978 bilateral repatriation agreement.
The press release also addressed claims made by Myanmar’s Union Minister of Foreign Affairs in July 2023, which alleged that half a million Bangladeshis took refuge in Rakhine during the 1971 Liberation War.
Bangladesh has formally protested this claim, noting that Myanmar produced no documentation to support it.
The government pointed out that such a massive influx would have represented 30% of Rakhine’s population at the time and would have certainly captured global attention, yet demographic evidence from subsequent Burmese censuses provides no support for the assertion.
Bangladesh maintains that Myanmar’s persistent failure over the last eight years to create a conducive atmosphere for repatriation is a clear violation of bilateral arrangements signed in 2017-18.
The government suggested that the ongoing stalling of the return process could be interpreted as evidence of an intention to destroy the Rohingya community.
The Government of Bangladesh calls upon Myanmar and those in authority over Rakhine to demonstrate a genuine commitment to recognising the Rohingya as an integral part of their State.
It further urged the facilitation of their return and reintegration with equal rights, safety, and dignity.
