Emphasising that repatriation is the “only peaceful solution” to the protracted Rohingya crisis, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has set out a seven-point plan, including a practical roadmap for the safe and dignified return of refugees alongside stabilisation of Rakhine.

“As funding declines, the only peaceful option is to begin their repatriation,” he said, addressing the Opening Session of the High-Level Conference on the Situation of the Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, according to news released by news agencies.

“Eight years since the genocide began, the plight of the Rohingya continues. Initiatives to end the crisis are lacking, and international funding faces alarming shortfalls,” Prof Yunus warned. Stressing that the crisis originated in Myanmar and that its solution lies there, he urged the international community to put effective pressure on Myanmar and the Arakan Army to end persecution of the Rohingya and to begin their swift repatriation to Rakhine.

“This is the only solution. It should not be held hostage to broader reforms in Myanmar,” he said, noting that repatriation would require far fewer resources than prolonged international protection, and that the Rohingya themselves have consistently expressed their desire to return home. As an immediate step, he called for the return of those who had recently crossed into Bangladesh fleeing conflict.

“Bangladesh is a victim of this crisis. We are forced to bear huge financial, social and environmental costs,” he said, adding that criminal activities, including narcotics trafficking into Bangladesh through Rakhine, threaten the country’s social fabric. With unemployment and poverty already pressing challenges, he said Bangladesh cannot allow the employment of Rohingyas within its borders.

Setting out his seven-point plan, Prof Yunus urged the international community to devise a practical roadmap for safe repatriation, apply pressure on Myanmar and the Arakan Army to end violence and facilitate the return of refugees, mobilise international support to stabilise Rakhine and place civilian monitors on the ground, and promote confidence-building measures for the integration of Rohingya in Rakhine society and governance. He also called for full donor funding of the Joint Response Plan, accountability and restorative justice, and the dismantling of the narco-economy and cross-border crime networks.

“The world cannot keep the Rohingya waiting any longer. Today, let us pledge to act together to resolve the crisis once and for all. Bangladesh stands ready to extend its full cooperation,” he declared.

The UN-organised conference brought together representatives from at least 75 countries and organisations, including heads of state and government, to sustain international attention, review conditions on the ground, and propose a time-bound plan for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced communities. Turkey represented the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, while Kuwait spoke for the Gulf Cooperation Council. The UN High Commissioners for Refugees and Human Rights, Filippo Grandi and Volker Turk, as well as Rohingya representatives, also addressed the meeting.