Opinions of four key groups of stakeholders on Refugees in Bangladesh

Stakeholder Perspectives on Human Security of Refugees in Bangladesh
Humanitarian Staff

Findings from humanitarian staff cover four main themes: violence, healthcare, livelihood, and social support. Staff report that violence is structural and embedded in the daily lives of camp residents. While some refugees express affection for the host community, staff describe relations as generally antagonistic due to the strain of the influx on local resources.

Security & Health: There is a documented need for increased security, particularly for female staff members who feel vulnerable. However, some respondents argue that more security forces may not help, citing potential complicity in illegal activities. Healthcare is currently inadequate and underfunded, with staff facing short-term 3-month contracts and decreasing wages.

Livelihood: UN-led programs in sewing and tailoring have seen success, particularly in Camp 10. However, these are largely limited to women and youth. A parallel "drug economy" exists, attracting individuals who find illicit income more lucrative than formal programs.

Policymakers and Academia

Violence is identified as a daily occurrence, with gangs often exploiting children and abducting workers for ransom. One reported growing problem is the theft of humanitarian vests at gunpoint, which are then used to smuggle goods and bypass checkpoints.

Socio-Medical Challenges: While basic health services exist, significant barriers remain. Adolescent girls often stop attending school or seeking medical help after the onset of menstruation ("urna newa") due to cultural stigma. Furthermore, the deterioration of the social fabric is evidenced by reports of desperate families selling infants and teens gaining access to firearms.

Long-term Outlook: Repatriation is the paramount priority for the Bangladesh government, though current conditions in Myanmar are deemed unsuitable and unsafe. Tensions with host communities are rising due to perceived injustices and the encroachment on local resources.

The Rohingya

Refugees in Balukhali Camp report reaching 7th to 9th-grade education but find no legal work opportunities. Many feel "under violence" from within their own community structures, which prevents them from engaging freely with humanitarian aid.

Psychological State: Respondents report high levels of depression and flashbacks of violence from Myanmar. Decision-making is often dictated by the need for survival and group protection, with a general lack of trust in official security forces. Despite the lack of prospects, the primary hope remains a cohesive and dignified return to Myanmar.

The Locals

The local population reports a deep sense of insecurity due to gang activity and a lack of faith in security forces, whom they perceive as "super inactive" or complicit.

Resource Competition: There is significant resentment regarding the "drug economy," with locals citing refugees who afford 50,000 BDT t-shirts and lavish weddings that the host community cannot. Locals feel that refugees "steal their work" and take resources meant for the host population.

Conclusion: The local population is unanimously against integration and demands immediate repatriation as the only viable long-term solution.

Data synthesized from field interviews and stakeholder reports (2023–2024).

Popular posts from this blog

DOES HUMAN SECURITY BRING ANYTHING NEW TO REFUEE PROTECTION?

Does Human Security (HS) Bring Anything New to Refugee Protection? A salient question in the search for meaning for physical security that has reoriented or at least given preponderance to HS since the Cold War was “Whose security?”. This is a question that has been asked repeatedly in security discourse. However, the previous realist assertion was no longer viable in the century to come. The reorientation of security was in some sense necessary at that time, at least to rub along with the democratic consensus to cut down funding for physical security. A shift in orientation from state to individual or community, at least in normative advocacy, seemed to make up for the vacuum (Paris, 2001). Although in reality all this normative advocacy made little sense in policy application, David Chandler opinioned that human security as a concept did not ‘bark’ (Chandler, 2008). However, it is my assertion that independent research into HS continued ...
Read more

Who are the Rohingya? Contested claims of their origin.

Image
WHO ARE THE ROHINGYA? Figure : Map of Rakhine (former Arakan) state of Myanmar (Source : Map of Rakhine State-Wikipedia) The question is simple, but answering it is complex. The Rohingya are an ethnic, religious, and linguistic minority group from the northern Rakhine state (Harvard Divinity School, 2021). They are distinct from the major Burman group and share cultural traits that are more similar to those of South Asia (Matisoff, 2023). The Rohingya are predominantly Muslims who claim to be the descendants of Indo-Aryans but assert their indigeneity to western Myanmar, having lived there since precolonial times (Blakemore, 2019). However, their origin and identity are highly debated among scholars. C. R. Abrar citing Nicolaus (1995) argues that the influx of Muslim traders from Afghanis...
Read more

THE ASIAN LABORATORY OF HUMAN SECURITY AND REFUGEES

THE ASIAN LABORATORY OF HUMAN SECURITY AND REFUGEES The 21st century has the potential to be recognized as the era dominated by Asian influence and achievements, especially in terms of Human Security (HS) (Kim, 2010). HS has an Asian origin, as evidenced by the prominent role of Japan in advancing a HS agenda of ‘freedom from want’ that transcends the state-centric approach and prioritizes the well-being of individuals (Acharya, 2001). In addition, influential scholars such as Mahbubul Haq and Amartya Sen, have Asian roots, and along with many other Asian academics who have contributed to shaping a distinctive Asian perspective on HS. The Asian view of HS differs from the allegedly narrow Westphalian view that focuses on the physical securitization of states. This view puts a premium on the principles of sovereignty and noninterference. However, as Kim stresses, these principles are not new or uniquely Asian (Ki...
Read more