After decades of persecution, forced migration, and loss of heritage, the Rohingya population of nearly three million faces ongoing challenges, however, Malaysia based Scientist Muhammad Noor argues that adoption of blockchain technology can help deliver personal agency and hope for a better future.
Scattered across multiple countries, they navigate barriers to accessing food, finance, work, health care, and education, compounded by the absence of legal documents.
Kuala Lumpur based Computer Scientist Muhammad Noor has introduced a plan to address these challenges through blockchain technology. His initiative, the Rohingya Project, aims to create a decentralized digital identity system that cannot be altered or erased by authorities, including those in Myanmar.
The project, supported by universities in Malaysia and Singapore, seeks to provide a mechanism for verifying identities and re-establishing links to the Rohingya’s roots in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
Noor’s vision focuses on creating a framework for identity verification while recognizing the community’s ties to a region where many villages have been destroyed. The project uses blockchain technology, a secure digital database, to address the lack of formal identification among the Rohingya.
For years, displaced families have struggled to maintain a connection to their heritage. Technological advances, from audio recordings to video calls, have helped bridge the gap. Noor believes blockchain can preserve cultural history by recording songs, stories, and language while providing a platform for skills development and education.
The project also aims to facilitate financial transactions and access to healthcare through a digital token, addressing the challenges faced by those excluded from formal banking systems.
The Rohingya population has faced displacement over decades due to successive crackdowns in Myanmar. Many sought refuge in neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
A major crisis occurred in 2017, when military action in Myanmar forced over a million people to flee to Bangladesh, where they live in refugee camps with limited resources.
In Malaysia, more than 110,000 Rohingya refugees were registered with the UNHCR by late 2024. Without legal recognition, they remain classified as undocumented migrants, limiting their access to essential services.
Many rely on informal jobs, facing wage theft and limited job security, while others pursue entrepreneurship to support their families. Despite the challenges, Noor sees the potential for change through education and self-reliance.
The Rohingya Project seeks to address dependency by equipping the community with skills and tools to build their own opportunities. Noor says that he believes this approach can help the community overcome barriers and foster independence.
The initiative is in its early stages and faces technical hurdles, including selecting the right blockchain platform and engaging a dispersed community. However, Noor remains committed to creating a decentralized identity system and promoting education and financial inclusion for the Rohingya.
The situation for Rohingya refugees remains difficult, with limited prospects for a safe return to Myanmar. The Rohingya Project offers a model for addressing these challenges, enabling the community to reclaim its identity and work toward a more secure future.
“We might not have a passport, but we can have an identity. We can build a structure for education and financial stability. This is something we can create ourselves,” says Noor.