An Agenda for a Dignified and Sustainable Rohingya Refugee Response in Bangladesh alienating refugees, and increasing a sense of fear and insecurity among both Rohingya refugees and host communities.33 While the international community has continued to focus on supporting the Rohingya response in Bangladesh and advocating for an expanded protection and operational space, adequate attention has not been paid to acknowledging and addressing the regional dimensions of the Rohingya crisis. In addition to Bangladesh, other countries in South and South-East Asia such as India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, are also hosting Rohingya refugees in lesser numbers, without granting them legal status and access to rights and durable solutions. The military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has diminished prospects for safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees.34 A mass deportation order against Rohingya refugees in India35 and boat push-back policies by other States in the region, growing xenophobia and a general lack of any viable solutions points towards the lack of equitable international and regional responsibility sharing arrangements. These regional dynamics have affected Bangladesh’s treatment of Rohingya refugees. 2.3.1 UNHCR’s Solidarity Approach In July 2018, UNHCR proposed a Solidarity Approach for the People of Rakhine State, ‘wherever they may be’36 which envisioned a comprehensive approach aimed at addressing the root cause of displacement, searching for sustainable solutions and providing a platform for coordinating international efforts. However, the concept of the Solidarity Approach did not enjoy broad-based consensus perhaps due to lack of adequate consultations.37 The Government of Bangladesh was concerned that this approach deflects attention and responsibility from Myanmar to urgently improve conditions in Rakhine State to facilitate Rohingya repatriation.38 2.3.2 Rohingya boat crisis In 2020, more than 2,400 Rohingya made dangerous journeys by sea to reach safer destinations, less than half of whom were allowed to disembark safely in the region .39 Passengers aboard a mother ship serving as an offshore trafficking camp were held hostage at sea until ransoms were paid on their behalf, and even after payments, the Rohingya faced difficulties disembarking due to State pushback policies.40 At least 200 Rohingya refugees lost their lives or disappeared at sea in 2020.41 This is not a 33 International Crisis Group (ICG), A Sustainable Policy for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, 27 December 2019, available at https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/bangladesh/303-sustainable-policy-rohingya-refugees-bangladesh 34 Alice Cuddy, Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?, BBC News, 1 April 2021, available at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55902070 35 Chander Uday Singh, Supreme Court must rethink its order on deportation of Rohingya refugees, The Indian Express, 26 April 2021, available at https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rohingya-refugees-crisis-india-supreme-court7288913/ 36 UNHCR, A solidarity approach for the people of Rakhine State: the way forward, Side event of the 69th session of the Executive Committee, 3 October 2018, available at https://www.unhcr.org/fr/5baa20414.pdf 37 Karen Hargrave, Kerrie Holloway, Veronique Barbelet and M. Abu Eusuf, The Rohingya response in Bangladesh and the Global Compact on Refugees, HPG Working Paper, April 2020, available at https://cdn.odi.org/media/documents/The_Rohingya_response_in_Bangladesh_and_the_Global_Compact_on_Refugees_l essons_8B4Bg1o.pdf 38 Ibid. 39UNHCR, supra n. 16. 40 Brian Barbour et.al, supra n. 5. 41 Ibid. Act for Peace / May 2021 15