Looming uncertainties

The future of around 13,00,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remains unresolved. Around 2,00,000 children were born in the camp in the last couple of years. Rohingya refugees have been given shelter in 33 camps in Ukhia and Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district and also on the island of Bhasan Char.

Bangladesh's policy considers the presence of Rohingyas as temporary and there should be a conducive situation for their voluntary and sustainable return. However, nothing of that sort is visible anywhere, either in bipartite or international forums or in the ground reality. On December 21, 2022, India, China, and Russia abstained from voting in the UN Security Council under India’s Chairpersonship calling on the military junta in Myanmar to release all political prisoners and seeking an immediate end to violence. This was for the first time any resolution on Myanmar was brought to the UN in the last 74 years since Myanmar emerged as an independent nation. Though the resolution called for ending violence in Myanmar in general, it did not mention the Rohingya refugees in particular.

Refugees staying in the camps always say that they are keen to return to Myanmar provided there is no torture there but they know there is no effective mechanism, which can compel the Myanmar government, to stop atrocities against the Rohingya population in the Rakhine State in Myanmar. Some sporadic moves do indeed take place by the Rohingyas for going back on their own and sometimes they end up in disasters. On December 4, 2022, five boats carrying around 160 Rohingya refugees from Kutupalong Refugee camp at Ukhia in Cox’s Bazar capsized and the fate of the refugees on board could not be ascertained, while starvation death of some of them was reported while awaiting rescue. Such incidents are not very uncommon as stated in the report of the UNHCR.

Another issue is violence and killing in the camps. Different armed organisations and small groups are active within the Rohingya refugee camps. They are primarily involved in the supply of arms and drugs. As per the estimates, around 15 violent groups are active. Clashes and killings among these groups for acquiring domination over the camps are common. As per the official records, there have been at least 115 Rohingya killings since the Rohingya influx in 2017 till August 2022, According to police reports, at least 2,441 cases have been registered in the last five years, for murder, weapon and drugs supply, abductions and rape.

The killing of the community leaders in the camps has become a matter of serious concern and speaks of violence here. At least 20 community leaders have been murdered during the last four months. The reasons for killing put forward by different stakeholders are divergent. The murder of Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah was most highlighted in the media. Armed clashes between Rohingya groups continued to be a regular phenomenon. Rohingyas are killed in such clashes. Law and order authorities virtually do not enter the camp area after sunset. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), one of the groups involved in the clash, is also accused of drug trafficking and murdering refugee leaders who oppose its operations. Several such incidents have taken place, which recurs at regular intervals. Trafficking of women is another menace in the camps.

The situation of Rohingya refugees staying in Bangladesh is, no doubt, very complex. In the matter of going back, the Rohingyas say that repatriation is possible once safety, security and human rights are ensured in Myanmar and the fact is they do not trust the junta government in Myanmar. They also want the international community including UNHCR to play the role of mediator. The issue of religion is also a factor. Maybe for that, they have got shelter in Bangladesh, but that may be one of the reasons for their persecution in Myanmar. International agencies and local NGOs are involved in the refugee camps. They have Bangladeshi nationals working for them and a large number of such workers are earning a lot according to local standards by working there. They fear that once the refugees are repatriated they would lose their livelihood. This has been echoed by the Information & Broadcasting Minister of Bangladesh, Dr Hasan Mahmood, in a recent meeting with the visiting Indian journalists, who also visited the Rohingya refugee camps at Kutupalong. He said, “the NGOs also want that the camps should continue because that gives them existence and livelihood”. Education is also another complex issue. No formal education is imparted. If education as per the Bangladeshi curriculum is imparted, there is an apprehension that they might be fit to seek jobs in Bangladesh. So, some informal schools as per Rakhine style do operate in the camps. But, no English is taught, and no skill is transferred. So, one generation is thus being made crippled.

Each family gets weekly dry rations as per the size of the family. People having no work to do and the size of their family determining the quantity of free ration ensures a high rate of population growth, which is visible with a rise in the number of children. It is also to be mentioned that there is also a group of Hindu Rohingyas staying in the refugee camps in the Kutupalang and Balu Khali areas. Cash flow is another interesting phenomenon in the camps. Apart from being provided with dry rations, cash is also provided to the families. Many refugees resort to small businesses or trading household goods and essential commodities, which they procure from outside and sell in their small shops visible throughout the camps. Though they are not supposed to go out of the camp and do not resort to any means to earn a livelihood. Many are doing the same thing in reality. Some Rohingya refugees even become successful in sneaking out to other countries, including the middle east.

However, with no such move being crystalised for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar from Bangladesh, either at the international level or the ground level, the plight of the Rohingyas staying in the refugee camps in Bangladesh is continuing with a lot of problems. Most importantly, two generations of Rohingyas are forced to live a purposeless, jobless, educationless asylum life with no future as such. It is very difficult for a country like Bangladesh. How long will the international agencies continue to extend their support, with no country as such taking any responsibility for these ill-fated people so far?

The writer is an independent journalist who recently visited Rohingya Camps. Views expressed are personal