Conclusion The abuses in Myanmar and the humanitarian emergency in Bangladesh since October 2016 exposed significant gaps in the political will and humanitarian structure intended to assist Rohingya in Bangladesh but also unleashed an outpouring of compassion and reflection. The increased international attention should be taken as an opportunity to improve coordination of aid and response preparedness at the same time that it reinforces bilateral and multilateral efforts to address the root causes of the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar. While the long term goal for Rohingya in Bangladesh will remain return to their homeland, intermediate steps must be taken to protect them as long as they seek refuge in Bangladesh. A start would be to recognize the Rohingya in Bangladesh as refugees. Under any circumstances, the Government of Bangladesh must find ways to provide status to the Rohingya population and must work with the international community to strengthen assistance to and resilience in displaced communities through a new approach focused on needs and vulnerabilities rather than generalized group distinctions. In the immediate term, the ongoing heightened protection risks through the ongoing monsoon season and under-addressed trafficking threats will require a protracted emergency response even as longer term planning moves forward. Just two days after RI concluded its mission in Bangladesh, Cyclone Mora hit the country, leaving a path of devastation that exposed the numerous continuing vulnerabilities faced by Rohingya in Bangladesh. At least seven people were killed and high winds and flooding wrought havoc across large portions of Bangladesh and Myanmar. The makeshift Rohingya settlements were particularly susceptible to damage. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of shelters in the makeshift camps were damaged or destroyed and 20 percent of structures, including health centers in the official camps, were destroyed. Destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure and standing water have created a higher risk of cholera outbreak. Loss of electricity and solar grid lighting increase other protection concerns. Heavy rains also bring the risk of mud slides, a deadly risk highlighted by the deaths of some 160 Bangladeshis in June in the deadliest mudslide in the country’s history. In addition to the immediate emergency needs created, Cyclone Mora highlighted the broad range of ongoing requirements of the Rohingya population and host communities in Bangladesh. The failure to address these needs will create substantial vulnerabilities that could result in massive loss of life in another crisis. While Bangladesh and other governments must continue their pressure on the government of Myanmar to end the root causes of the Rohingya refugee crisis, they must also maintain and augment efforts to make life bearable for the Rohingya who have fled their country of origin. The presence of 20-year-old official camps, in which a majority of the population has lived their entire lives, should act as a reminder and a cautionary tale. As one humanitarian officer told RI, “Their trauma is not over. They need some hope, need to know they are not forgotten by the international community.” Daniel Sullivan traveled to Bangladesh in May 2017 to assess the humanitarian situation for Rohingya in the country. RI extends special thanks to Tun Khin of the Burma Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK) for his assistance with this mission and to the Rohingya refugees who shared their stories. 1. ya-rights. 2. Balukhali Makeshift Settlement sprang up after October 2016 and now houses an estimated 15,000 new Rohingya arrivals. 17 www.refugeesinternational.org