Myanmar's military government has verified between 308,797 and 308,975 displaced Rohingya people in Bangladesh as former residents of Rakhine State, officials confirmed on August 16-17, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The verification follows a list of 828,824 names submitted by Bangladesh for repatriation processing, leaving 113,507 names unverified and excluded from the eligible group [1, 2].

Among those verified, Myanmar identified 4,241 individuals alleged to have been involved in terrorist activities, who will not be returned under current plans [1, 2]. The government reiterated that repatriation will only proceed once security conditions in Rakhine State improve, with a statement from the Myanmar Foreign Ministry saying, "Myanmar will receive the displaced persons who have been verified as former residents of Rakhine State when the security situation in Rakhine State becomes more stable" [3].

The military is currently engaged in fighting the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group seeking autonomy in Rakhine, complicating security and stability efforts [1, 2, 3]. Previous attempts at repatriation in 2018 and 2019, despite preparations, did not result in any Rohingya returning to Myanmar [1, 2].

Since 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh following violent crackdowns by Myanmar security forces, according to United Nations figures [1, 2]. In total, more than 1.3 million Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh and other countries after persecution and violence in Myanmar [3]. Bangladesh has demanded that any repatriation be voluntary, safe, and sustainable, while Rohingya refugees have pressed for guarantees of citizenship, security, and rights before returning [3].

Myanmar also agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers from Malaysia, though Malaysia has stated repatriation would not proceed if their lives are at risk [1, 2].

The Myanmar government’s confirmation of nearly 309,000 verified Rohingya eligible for repatriation marks a key step, but it remains dependent on improvements in security within Rakhine State before any returns can begin [1, 2, 3].