An Asean report predicting half a million Rohingya refugees will return to Myanmar in two years has left observers incredulous for glossing over army atrocities, ignoring an ongoing civil war in Rakhine state and failing to mention the persecuted Muslim minority by name.

Bangladesh has urged Myanmar to remove all barriers to the repatriation of Rohingyas and take concrete steps to create conditions conducive to their return.

Top UN agency leaders have asked the international community to continue supporting the critical needs of 1.2 million people, Rohingya refugees and their local host communities, in south-eastern Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the United Nations to play a role in sending back over one million Rohingyas from Bangladesh to their homeland Myanmar.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says Bangladesh will keep up its efforts to repatriate displaced Rohingyas through negotiations and not engaging in any conflict with Myanmar.

Uncertainty over Rohingya repatriation is likely to stay as conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in Rakhine has escalated since early January, say experts.

Human Rights Watch has said Myanmar should disband its inquiry commission on abuses in Rakhine state for its unwillingness to seriously investigate alleged grave crimes against the ethnic Rohingyas.

Dhaka yesterday protested the "derogatory and provocative" remarks of Myanmar Religious Affairs Minister Thura Aung Ko on Rohingya refugees and asked the country to apologise.

Dhaka yesterday protested the "derogatory and provocative" remarks of Myanmar Religious Affairs Minister Thura Aung Ko on Rohingya refugees and asked the country to apologise.

A large portion of the donations meant for the displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh is being spent as operational cost of international NGOs, says a study.

The UN refugee agency yesterday urged Myanmar to exert all efforts to create conditions for safe return of Rohingyas and address the root cause of their displacement.

Bangladesh's plans to tackle the Rohingya refugee crisis have been stalled until the new year with repatriation and relocation programmes only likely to be revisited following year-end general elections, a top Bangladeshi official said yesterday.

The much-awaited launch of the Rohingya repatriation was cancelled at the last moment yesterday as the refugees refused to return to Rakhine for fear of fresh persecution.

“We won’t go back, we won’t go back. We demand punishment of Myanmar,” these are the slogans that the 130 Rohingya refugees chanted in unison at a refugee camp in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar.

The Bangladesh government should follow the recommendations of senior United Nations refugee and human rights officials and immediately halt the proposed repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, Human Rights Watch says.

Canada has urged the government of Myanmar to guarantee the necessary safeguards for and protection of any returning Rohingya saying repatriation must not be rushed.

The first batch of Rohingyas is all set to be sent back to Myanmar today amid reports that many of the refugees listed for return are hiding in fear of forcible repatriation.

The International Crisis Group has warned of serious security risks of “forced repatriation” of the Rohingya, just as Myanmar and Bangladesh prepare for the November 15 return of the refugees sheltered in Bangladesh.

For Nurul Amin, a Rohingya Muslim living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, the days since learning he and his family were among a group of people set to potentially be repatriated to Myanmar have been among the most frightening since they fled their home.

Dhaka has urged Beijing to encourage Myanmar to create a conducive environment for a speedy return of Rohingyas to their home in Rakhine.