Avoidable complacency

This is the fifth-year running since the Rohingya Muslim refugees were pushed to Bangladesh by the Myanmarese military, leading to an uphill situation for Bangladesh. After initial struggle in managing the unwieldy refugees numbering well over one million, Bangladesh government has been able to rehabilitate them in camps close to Cox's Bazar that are almost adjacent to the borders of Myanmar, hence sensitive. Notwithstanding international pressure on the Myanmar armed forces and diplomatic pressure at the global, regional, ASEAN and other levels, there hasn't been really any letup in the cases of considerable religious radicalization, complicity in sporadic organized crimes like manufacture of fake passports and visas, and criminal offences and activation of drug syndicates. However, of late, there has been a decline in the cases of undesirable nature in Cox's Bazar, as per the latest security audit carried out by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is discussed threadbare in the succeeding paragraphs.

The security situation in Cox's Bazar during the latest review period was calm. Furthermore, there continues to be a decline in reported incidents of serious crime in the camps though drug-related offences and arrests continue unabated. The perennial armed robberies, abductions and open violent brawls between suspected criminal gangs for supremacy and dominance have been on a decline since the beginning of the year 2022. It, however, remains unclear what security dynamics are taking place in the camps which have relatively calmed the situation at present, particularly the violent crimes. Meanwhile, intelligence agencies like Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security and Intelligence (NSI) have claimed credit for bringing the situation under control. This said, there does not seem to be any case of jubilation as the relative calm could possibly be temporary on account of police vigilantism or sheer deception.

Also, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strengthened surveillance and patrols along the common border with Myanmar after significant fighting broke out on the Myanmar side of the Bandarban Rakhine border during the past weeks. Two Rohingya armed groups — the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) — claimed responsibility for the attacks against Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP). Intelligence agencies working close to ground realities do not rule out the possibility of any maverick terror offensive which could be launched by the Neo Jamaitul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo JMB)

In the meantime, seizure of large quantities of illegal drugs, pills, crystal methamphetamine and other contraband drugs remain undiminished in Cox's Bazar district and in the environs of the refugee's camps. This is confirmed by credible police reports. Most of the drugs are believed to be destined for other areas in Bangladesh, and Cox's Bazar is just a transit point. According to more reports, on February 2, RAB recovered 80 kg of cannabis — the largest seizure in four years. Majority of the arrested are Bangladeshi nationals.

Among the significant security incidents, on February 6 this year, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted an operation and arrested Rohingyas with banned substances. On February 5, Armed Police Battalion (APBn) arrested two Rohingya drug dealers with 3,900 pieces of Yaba tablets in Lambasia Camp-1 East, Block-D-13 area in Ukhiya upazila of Cox's Bazar. Similarly, on February 3, APBn arrested a Rohingya criminal with a locally made gun and two rounds of ammunition in a raid at Nayapara registered Rohingya Camp in Teknaf. Again, on February 3 only, a Rohingya youth was arrested at Chattogram divisional passport office when he approached the office with fake documents to get a Bangladeshi passport. The arrested Rohingya man is from Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar. Also, the same day, police arrested a Rohingya smuggler along with seven gold bars in Lambasia camp. On February 2, RAB seized eight locally produced firearms in Pekua during a raid against an illegal gun factory.

Other than activities in the Rohingya camp, Chittogram Hill Tracts (CHTs) also remained active in the proximity of Cox's Bazar. On February 2, four persons, including an army officer and three members of Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS), were killed during a gunfight in Ruma Upazila of Bandarban district. The Army team seized sophisticated arms and ammunition in addition to other incriminatory items.

The activities in and around Cox's Bazar, as highlighted here, deserve to be taken note of. So far, Bangladeshi establishment and security agencies have done reasonably well under the circumstances to keep things under control in the Rohingya Camps but any lowering of guard may see a spike in activities of indoctrination and strengthening of crime syndicates, with rippling effects within Bangladesh as well as in India where Rohingyas have caused an alarm, not very long ago.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal