Border News Agency
Cox’s Bazaar – 25 August 2025

Today, the Rohingya community across the world is observing a solemn day of remembrance, marking eight years since the outbreak of the 2017 atrocities in Myanmar that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee their homes in Rakhine State.

On 25 August 2017, the Myanmar military launched what the United Nations has described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing,” killing thousands of men, women and children, burning entire villages to the ground, and driving nearly a million people into neighboring Bangladesh. For the Rohingya, the day stands as one of unbearable loss and trauma yet also as a day of resilience and unity in the struggle for justice.

Eight years on, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps, diaspora communities around the world, and human rights advocates are commemorating the victims with prayers, memorial events, and renewed calls for accountability. Survivors say the pain of losing loved ones remains raw, while their hope for justice and safe return to Myanmar remains unfulfilled.

“This day is not only about remembering the horror we endured, but also about honoring those who lost their lives and standing firm for our rights,” said a Rohingya community leader in Cox’s Bazar. “We will never forget, and we will never stop seeking justice.”

Despite international condemnation, justice has been slow. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is still hearing the genocide case against Myanmar, while the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to investigate crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya. Yet, for the nearly one million Rohingya stranded in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, conditions remain dire marked by poverty, insecurity, and uncertainty about their future.

Human rights groups have stressed that the international community must not allow the suffering of the Rohingya to fade from attention. They argue that without accountability and recognition of the genocide, prospects for a safe, voluntary, and dignified return to their homeland remain bleak.

This year, commemorations carried a special urgency. With ongoing conflict in Rakhine State and fresh reports of violence, Rohingya leaders fear history is at risk of repeating itself. Many emphasized that their demand is not only for humanitarian support but also for fundamental rights, citizenship, safety, and the ability to live with dignity in their ancestral land.

As candles were lit in memory of the victims, the community’s message was clear: the wounds of the genocide are deep, but the struggle for justice and dignity is stronger than ever.