Diplomatic Correspondent; Dbarta24 — Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially rejected reports claiming that nearly 10 lakh displaced persons from Rakhine State fled into Bangladesh.
Issuing a formal statement on Saturday (August 15), the ministry characterized global news reports on the displacement as “one-sided and based on inaccurate information.”
Official Figures Disputed
Addressing international coverage regarding displaced residents living in Cox’s Bazar camps and those attempting dangerous sea crossings, Naypyidaw sought to present what it called its own verified accounting of the population shift.
According to the statement, coordinated attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on military and police outposts in October–November 2016 and August 2017 triggered counter-terrorism measures by the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw).
The government claims these operations caused local residents to flee, leading a large number of individuals—whom Myanmar officially refers to as “Bengalis”—to cross into Bangladesh.
Myanmar officials claimed that prior to the 2017 conflict, over 740,000 “Bengalis” lived across the Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung townships.
The ministry asserted that over 200,000 remained in the area while roughly 540,000 fled, arguing that international statistics citing over one million displaced people are incorrect.
Status of Verification and Repatriation
Myanmar highlighted its participation in bilateral agreements with Bangladesh, noting that while arrangements were repeatedly set up to receive returning residents, no refugees have crossed back into Rakhine State.
Out of a list of 828,824 displaced persons provided by the Bangladesh government, Myanmar reported that it had processed 426,545 verification requests up to July 31, 2026:
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308,797 individuals were verified as former residents of Rakhine State.
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4,241 individuals were identified by Myanmar authorities as being associated with terrorist activities.
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113,507 profiles could not be verified due to incomplete or unmatched data.
The ministry expressed strong concern over assumptions that all individuals currently residing in Bangladeshi camps originated from Myanmar, rejecting claims that sea-bound migrants belong to an ethnic identity recognized by the country.
Bilateral Historical Context and Future Stance
Reflecting on past displacement events in 1978, 1991, and 1992, the statement noted that Myanmar had previously repatriated 186,968 individuals between 1978–1979 and 236,495 between 1992–2005 under past bilateral protocols.
The Foreign Ministry expressed dissatisfaction over the internationalization of the crisis, maintaining that repatriation remains a strictly bilateral affair between neighboring nations.
Myanmar affirmed its intention to maintain constructive dialogue with Bangladesh and friendly nations, stating that verified former residents would be accepted back once security conditions in Rakhine State stabilize.