A statement signed by a group calling itself the Research Team, Rohingya Genocide Survivors, Cox’s Bazar Camp alleges bias, exclusion, and performative inclusion in the recent Rohingya “stakeholders’ dialogue.”
The statement reached me shortly after the 25 August 2025 “Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Rohingya Crisis” in Cox’s Bazar. An early version was circulated informally with authorship suggested, but it was not signed. When I asked for something attributable, I received the same statement from the email account of “Sofia Akter,” signed “Research Team, Rohingya Genocide Survivors, Cox’s Bazar.”
I cannot verify this signatory/organisation. Secondly, it was not sent to me by the authors as initially suggested. Right of reply has been offered to the relevant participants; any responses will be added.
Here are the main points to note.
The report argues the event was not an inclusive representation of the Rohingya community. It states that the dialogue was heavily biased toward a specific faction of the Rohingya diaspora, namely the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC) and the Rohingya Consultative Council (RCC), with their leaders and members comprising the majority of participants. It notes that the inclusion of other individuals appeared to be symbolic, as many lacked the ability to engage meaningfully due to language barriers and were not given the opportunity to voice genuine concerns.
The assessment expresses concern that this selective representation distorts the true aspirations of the Rohingya people and may mislead the international community. It specifically cautions against the participation of this group in the upcoming “UN High-Level Conference on Rohingya Muslims,” scheduled for September 30, 2025, in New York, arguing that they do not represent the entire community.
The report concludes that the platform was misused for personal and organisational gain rather than for the collective interest of the Rohingya people, an action that risks undermining the cause and creating division within the community.
It also highlights that out of five recently elected Rohingya camp presidents, only two who were ARNC affiliated were able to attend while the others were actively excluded.
Here is the full text:
(I have not edited it. Nor have I corrected spelling mistakes of names, etc.)
Assessment Report on “The Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Rohingya Crisis” held in Cox’s Bazar
We closely observed The Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Rohingya Crisis held today in Cox’s Bazar. While the dialogue was projected as a platform for inclusive engagement on Rohingya issues, our assessment finds that it was primarily centered on a narrow section of the Rohingya diaspora. The process revealed significant levels of bias, partiality, and misrepresentation. It neither reflected the collective voice of the entire Rohingya community nor aligned with the established policy framework of Bangladesh.
Since the dialogue lacked inclusivity, we note the following key points:
1. Representation by ARNC
The majority of Rohingya participants were members of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), led by Tun Khin and Nay San Lwin. Both diaspora figures and a few camp-based individuals were presented as “Rohingya representatives.”
(1) From the diaspora: Tun Khin, Nay San Lwin, Saan Yu, Shuja Uddin, and other ARNC members.
(2) From the camps: Furkhan Mirza (Chairperson of the recent camp election commission), Mv. Sayed Ullah (elected President in the recent election), and Khin Maung @ Rafique (elected President in the recent election).
This selective inclusion demonstrates organizational bias and undermines the principle of broad-based representation.
2. Representation by RCC
We also observed the participation of some diaspora members from the Rohingya Consultative Council (RCC), led by Aung Kyaw Moe (Deputy Minister of Human Rights for the National Unity Government – NUG). Examples include:
(1) Javed Elaom(General Secretary of RCC, Lucky Karim, Secretary General of RCC
(2) Hujjat Ullah, Member of RCC
(3) Khin Maung Thein @ Abdullah, Member of RCC
(4) Other RCC-affiliated individuals
While their presence was noticeable, their representation was limited and did not reflect the grassroots realities of Rohingya inside the camps or within the broader community.
3. Representation by Others
Several additional individuals were included, seemingly to showcase “diversity” to external observers. However, most of them lacked the political knowledge, geopolitical awareness, or necessary understanding of regional and global dynamics to engage meaningfully. Approximately 80% of these participants could not understand English and were not given the opportunity to raise genuine Rohingya concerns or deliver speeches. Their presence therefore served a symbolic purpose rather than ensuring real representation. This exclusionary structure risks distorting the true voices and aspirations of the Rohingya people. Bangladesh and the international community must take serious note of this matter.
4. Key Concerns
Based on these observations, it is clear that this team is not eligible to represent the entire Rohingya community in international forums. Specifically, their participation in the upcoming UN High-Level Conference on Rohingya Muslims and Other Ethnic Minorities from Myanmar, scheduled for September 30, 2025, in New York, USA, would be inappropriate and misleading.
The representatives in this dialogue appeared to misuse this important platform for personal and organizational benefits, rather than prioritizing the collective interests of the Rohingya people. Such actions risk undermining international trust, weakening the Rohingya cause, and eroding the hopes of the entire community.
History will remember these individuals as perpetrators of division within the Rohingya community, rather than as genuine advocates of justice and dignity.
Note: Your news agency should be find out (sic) this kind of discrimination and we also found that there were 5 elected presidents by recent election. Among them only two (1. MV Sayedullah(ARNC- Council) 2. Khin Maung Rafique(ARNC-Council) presidents could attend the Cox's Bazar Conference and others three presidents couldn't attend because they are not ARNC- Council members.
Research Team
Rohingya Genocide Survivors
Cox's Bazar Camp
Disclosure: The identity of the authors is not independently verified. However, the concerns expressed in this statement reflect ongoing debates within Rohingya civil society - particularly around representation, diaspora influence, and grassroots exclusion.
Right of Reply: Relevant representatives from ARNC and RCC have been invited to respond.
UPDATE RECEIVED: 28 August from Khin Maung (one of the the five rotating presidents). He wrote:
“I am not connected with any groups since I was elected from refugee camp.”
PS. I recently wrote an OpED in DVB about the ARNC’s first month. Take a look.
I think you, Ekram Ullah, may have misunderstood the intentions of Shafiur Rahman. Good journalist are loyal only to the truth, and they often anger people who want them to serve a given ideology as a result.
I see the selection of leaders as just the beginning, not the end. It’s a first step forward, and I believe more opportunities for inclusion will come with time. Let’s be patient and see how things unfold.