An Agenda for a Dignified and Sustainable Rohingya Refugee Response in Bangladesh Rohingya refugees,178 lifting telecommunications restrictions during COVID-19179, expanding education and livelihoods opportunities,180 Rohingya boat crises181 and localisation of aid182 among others. More recently, empirical research jointly conducted by UN agencies and NGO partners have also enabled evidence-based advocacy on thematic and multi-sectoral issues, including the impact of COVID-19.183 Some of the protection advocacy gaps by Cox’s Bazar based agencies and networks have been addressed by the efforts of international human rights groups184 and regional185 and global186 humanitarian platforms. Alongside continued global advocacy for justice and accountability for crimes against Rohingya in Myanmar, and the creation of sustainable conditions of return, the humanitarian and diplomatic community must harness their capacities and resources, in order to amplify advocacy messages, as well as to mobilise international and regional protection and displacement solutions for Rohingya refugees. Such efforts may gradually ease the pressure on Bangladesh culminating in the roll-back of restrictive policies and expansion of refugee protection space. With regard to collective advocacy and its impacts, there are important lessons to be learnt from the Myanmar experience. Despite the strong commitment of humanitarian, development and international actors working in Rakhine State amidst mounting pressures and challenges, the operational and advocacy strategies chosen by these agencies consistently prioritised smooth relationships with Myanmar authorities, diluting respect for human rights and humanitarian principles in the process. 187 The humanitarian community in Bangladesh must collectively strive to negotiate for a space where they can hold the Government accountable in line with international human rights standards and humanitarian principles, while at the same time, maintaining a cordial and respectful relationship with them as humanitarian partners.188 While difficult and risky, this can be achieved through collective engagement balancing quiet diplomacy with public advocacy efforts. Consistent information sharing, evidence-based research and targeted advocacy initiatives at global, regional and local levels will help counter negative government reactions and gradually foster a culture of transparency and accountability, also enhancing the legitimacy and credibility of humanitarian actors in the process. 178 Two Years On: Rohingya Deserve Justice, A Place at the Table, 21 August 2019, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/two-years-rohingya-deserve-justice-place-table 179 COVID-19: Access to full mobile data and telecommunications in Myanmar and Bangladesh is essential to save lives, say 26 major aid groups, 15 April 2020, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/covid-19-access-full-mobile-dataand-telecommunications-myanmar-and-bangladesh 180 International Rescue Committee (IRC), No Time to Lose: An Urgent Call for Access to Quality Education for Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar, 24 August 2020, available at https://www.rescue.org/report/no-time-lose-urgent-call-access-qualityeducation-rohingya-children-coxs-bazar 181 ASEAN must prevent another “Rohingya boat crisis, 10 November 2020, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/asean-must-prevent-another-rohingya-boat-crisis 182 Details available at http://www.cxb-cso-ngo.org/resource-publication/ 183 ISCG et.al, supra n. 111. 184Advocacy efforts by Human Rights Watch, Fortify Rights and Amnesty International available at https://www.hrw.org/tag/rohingya; https://www.fortifyrights.org/all-our-work/?gb_search=rohingya; https://www.amnesty.org/en/search/?q=rohingya&q=rohingya&ref=&year=&lang=en&adv=1&sort=relevance 185 APRRN, supra n. 23. 186 Interaction, Joint Humanitarian NGO Statement: Rohingya Donor Conference, 22 October 2020, available at https://www.interaction.org/blog/joint-humanitarian-ngo-statement-rohingya-donor-conference/ 187 Fieldview Solutions, Time to break old habits: Shifting from Complicity to Protection of the Rohingya in Myanmar, June 2018, available at https://www.fieldviewsolutions.org/fv-publications/Time_to_break_old_habits.pdf 188 Ibid. Act for Peace / May 2021 39