Rohingya refugees rally in Bangladesh camps to demand safe return to Myanmar

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar camps rallied Tuesday to demand safe return to Myanmar’s Rakhine state, marking nine years since they fled a 2017 government crackdown. More than 1 million Rohingya now live in camps around the district, after mass arrivals beginning in 2017 following violence tied to Myanmar’s military campaign after an insurgent attack by the Arakan Army. Bangladesh has previously attempted repatriation twice but refugees refused, citing security concerns, and the government says it will not force returns. The rally comes as the International Court of Justice heard genocide-related testimony in January, with Myanmar disputing the allegations.