Bangladesh's demand for Rohingya repatriation is not new in diplomatic agenda. It has been a key goal of Bangladesh's policy on the crisis for decades. In 1978 and 1991-92, there were two instances of large-scale displacement from Myanmar, which were followed by return programmes between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Dhaka has made voluntary return a top foreign policy priority after more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees arrived in Bangladesh in response to violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, in August 2017. However, nothing much has happened since 2017 in terms of a large, voluntary repatriation.

The challenge is not only to plan a physical return across the border, but to ensure the conditions are in place for a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return. UNHCR has repeatedly called for refugees to be able to return freely and voluntarily.

The challenge is more apparent when it's understood that the history of displacement has been a complex process. Rohingya have been discriminated and excluded in Myanmar for decades. The 1982 Citizenship Law introduced a concept of citizenship that effectively denied citizenship to most Rohingya and denied secure citizenship. Repeated displacement was caused by restrictions on movement, education and employment, as well as by recurrent violence and persecution by state and non-state actors, against victims.