Dhaka, Aug. 25 -- Eight years ago today, more than 750,000 Rohingya - women, children and the elderly among them - fled a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State and sought shelter in Bangladesh. The United Nations described the exodus as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," creating what is now the world's largest refugee settlement.

Since then, despite repeated pledges, international conferences and regional diplomacy, no breakthrough has been reached on safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation. Myanmar is meanwhile preparing for a general election later this year - one in which the Rohingya are unlikely to participate.

"This is one of the most protracted refugee situations in recent history, and the world cannot look awa...