An Agenda for a Dignified and Sustainable Rohingya Refugee Response in Bangladesh triggering a military crackdown. Between October 2016-July 2017, nearly 87,000 Rohingya were forced to cross over into Bangladesh.20 Bangladesh received close to 700,000 Rohingya refugees in August 2017 following the launch of intensive military operations resulting in widespread violence and mass forced displacement of civilians from Rakhine State in Myanmar, an event that has been characterised as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’.21 As of 31 March 2021, there are 884,041 Rohingya living in 34 camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas (Sub-district) in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh22 with limited access to basic rights and services and with little hope for a safe and sustainable durable solution in the near future. While a large-scale humanitarian response has been implemented and coordinated under evolving structures, Government policy has continued to focus on short-term humanitarian interventions and expediting refugee returns to Myanmar, since the 1990s. 2.2 International response to the Rohingya situation The Rohingya crisis has triggered a lot of international criticism and scrutiny but so far, international pressure and diplomatic engagement has not brought about any positive change in Myanmar’s approach towards Rohingya, demonstrated through escalation of conflict in Rakhine State, continued internal displacement and prolonged encampment of Rohingya, denial of equal rights and basic services, including citizenship rights and impunity for mass atrocities committed since 2016.23 2.2.1 The United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council has, thus far, been unable to take any targeted measures against Myanmar despite reports from various human rights bodies24 affirming genocide, crimes against humanity and systemic human rights violations against the Rohingya. 2.2.2 The Rakhine Advisory Commission The Rakhine Advisory Commission,25 was formed in 2016 at the behest of the Government of Myanmar in collaboration with the Kofi Annan Foundation, and chaired by former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to look into ways of securing the well-being of all communities living in Rakhine State. The release of the final report of the Commission in August 2017 coincided with the outbreak of extreme violence in Rakhine State resulting in mass forced displacement of Rohingya into Bangladesh. The implementation of the recommendations of the Commission was disrupted by the overall lack of political will amidst continued clashes in Rakhine State between Myanmar military and Rakhine rebel groups such as the Arakan Army. 20Start Network, Influx of Rohingya Displacement, Briefing Note, 24 September 2017, available at https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/170924%20Start%20Rohingya%20Refugee%20Influx.pdf 21 See Opening Statement by Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the 36 th Session of the Human Rights Council, available at https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22041 22 UNHCR, Joint Government of Bangladesh – UNHCR Population Factsheet, 31 March 2021 , available at https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/86233 23 APRRN, Three Years On: Rohingya Need Sustainable Solutions, 3 September 2020, available at http://aprrn.info/wpcontent/uploads/2020/09/FInal-Three-Years-on-Rohingya-1.pdf 24 The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) created an Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Myanmar (IIFFM) in March 2017, which issued a report in September 2018, detailing abuses against the Rohingya and other ethnic communities in three states in Myanmar. In September 2018, the HRC, established an Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), whose aim is to continue the work of the IIFFM and obtain documentation from individuals, groups and organisations that can later be used for the purposes of accountability. 25 Towards a Peaceful, Fair and Prosperous Future for the People of Rakhine, Final Report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, August 2017, available at https://www.rakhinecommission.org/app/uploads/2017/08/FinalReport_Eng.pdf Act for Peace / May 2021 13