10 terrorist groups active in Rohingya camps

It is worrying to note that ten terrorist and dacoit gangs, including the militant outfit Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), are active at Rohingya camps, according to a report by the defence ministry. The defence ministry prepared the report and placed it before the parliamentary watchdog recently. Reportedly, 32 incidents of murder took place in 2022 alone.

The recent reports of drug trade and increasing violence in the Rohingya camps are deeply concerning. It is worth mentioning that The number of yaba pills, a contraband drug, smuggled into Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar has surged by two and a half times under the current military regime compared to the amount reported during the rule of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Certainly such a situation calls for serious actions to curb crime in the Rohingya camps.

It is alleged that Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar have turned into hotbeds of crime. According to media reports, criminal gangs, active in the camps, often lock into bloody confrontations over control of markets, Yaba smuggling, and human trafficking. Also, Rohingyas have been engaged in serious confrontations with locals over supremacy of drug smuggling

Law enforcement agencies should

 take immediate actions to establish

 law and order in and around 

the Rohingya camps

The authorities concerned should take necessary measures to beef up security as much as possible and catch the perpetrators especially the gangs that are carrying out criminal activities. Considering the prevailing situation, law enforcement agencies should take immediate actions to establish law and order in the Rohingya camps and surrounding areas.

Over the last five years, displaced Rohingyas have appeared as a serious burden on the economy and environment of Bangladesh. Needles to say, Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through peaceful negotiation and the country expects similar reciprocity from Myanmar and international community. 

It is crucial that the international community continues to maintain pressure on Myanmar to create a conducive environment so that the Rohingya refugees can return to their homeland with safety, security and dignity. We expect a more vigorous role of the international community on the diplomatic front to compel Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas.