An estimated 5,000 Rohingya refugees have drowned at sea over the past decade, transforming the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal into a “graveyard for thousands of desperate Rohingya refugees,” according to UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch. Speaking in Geneva, Baloch highlighted the perilous journeys undertaken by nearly 200,000 Rohingya refugees who have risked their lives since 2012 to escape persecution and dire circumstances.
The exodus intensified in 2017 when hundreds of thousands fled Myanmar amidst persecution described by the then UN human rights chief, Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein, as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” This situation follows recent reports of hundreds of Rohingya missing and presumed drowned after a shipwreck off the coast of Bangladesh on April 8 in the Andaman Sea.
Myanmar Not Safe for Return
Baloch emphasized that while a voluntary, dignified, and safe return to Myanmar is desired by most Rohingya refugees, the ongoing conflict, persecution, and lack of citizenship prospects offer little hope for such a return. “No one would put their family on a risky boat knowing that the chances of survival are really low if the sense of desperation is not there. If there is no hope, we fear more people may lose their lives,” he stated.
With no end in sight to these deadly sea crossings, UNHCR hopes that by publicizing the record death toll, the international community will recognize the plight of the Rohingya both within Myanmar and in refugee camps. The organization urges a concerted effort to find solutions, preventing 2026 from becoming another year marked by loss of life.
