Home minister says Rohingya crisis becoming regional security threat, urges protection, repatriation

Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the Rohingya crisis is gradually becoming a regional security threat, calling for a shift from managing the humanitarian crisis to ensuring protection and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

He said there is no alternative to a political solution to create conditions for their safe and sustainable return.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Rohingya Crisis: Emerging Challenges and Sustainable Strategies”, organised by the Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation at the BIISS auditorium in the capital today (6 September).

“The longer the Rohingya crisis remains unresolved, the more severe the overall crisis will become. Local communities will suffer, and the Rohingya themselves will also face greater risks,” Salahuddin Ahmed said.

He said the crisis is gradually becoming a regional security threat and urged the international community to intensify efforts to restore stability in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

“There is no alternative to resolving the Rohingya crisis quickly, as the security and humanitarian situation is becoming increasingly critical,” he said.

The minister also expressed concern over growing security challenges inside the Rohingya camps, including violence against women and drug trafficking, saying these developments pose risks to overall security and are increasingly affecting host communities.

“The camps are witnessing an increase in violence against women and incidents of drug trafficking, which are putting overall security at risk,” he said.

Salahuddin said the government is treating the Rohingya issue as a matter of the highest national security priority.

While acknowledging the continued importance of humanitarian assistance, he said aid cannot substitute for a long-term political solution.

“Humanitarian assistance is necessary, but it should not be allowed to become a prolonged arrangement. We must move toward a lasting solution to the crisis,” he said.

The minister called on the international community to intensify diplomatic and political efforts to create the necessary conditions for the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar.