Myanmar Confirms First Batch of Rohingyas Eligible for Return

AR Media Group :04,04,2025.

A significant development toward resolving the protracted Rohingya crisis, Myanmar has confirmed that 180,000 Rohingya refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh have been verified as eligible for repatriation. The announcement came during a high-level bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, U Than Shew, shared the confirmation with Dr. Khalilur Rahman, High Representative of the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh. The list of eligible returnees was drawn from a total of 800,000 Rohingyas submitted by Bangladesh in six separate batches between 2018 and 2020.

In addition to the confirmed group, Myanmar authorities stated that the final verification of another 70,000 Rohingyas is currently pending. These cases require further scrutiny, particularly in the form of photo and name verification before approval can be granted for repatriation.

This is the first official confirmation of eligibility by Myanmar since the exodus of Rohingyas began in 2017, marking a critical step toward facilitating voluntary and dignified returns. The development is seen as a potential turning point in bilateral efforts to address one of the region’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

Myanmar has also assured Bangladesh that the verification process for the remaining 550,000 individuals on the original list will be conducted on an “expeditious basis.” However, no specific timeline was mentioned regarding when the next batch of verified individuals would be confirmed.

During the meeting, Dr. Rahman extended condolences for the victims of a recent earthquake in Myanmar and reiterated Bangladesh’s readiness to provide further humanitarian aid to support disaster-affected communities in the neighboring country.

AR Media Group