Conflict Potential of the Rohingya People in Bangladesh and Beyond

Abstract

The article addresses how Myanmar's Rohingya conflict could generate a potential for conflict within the borders of Bangladesh and beyond. The conflict in Myanmar due to the Rohingyas being deprived of their national citizenship had led to the mass exodus in 2017 to Bangladeshi land and the subsequent conflict in the host place. It was referred to various situations, including disputes, killing, abduction, and tensions between the refuges and host people. Based on existing theories of ‘exporting conflict’ such as displacing conflict and spill over effect of ethnic conflict, the article attempted to show how the Rohingya conflict originated in Myanmar lead to serious conflicts taking place in Bangladesh. The theoretical basis proposed in the article had been supported with reliable secondary sources of information and published expert opinions on the contemporary situation of the temporary Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh with regards to their sheltering, refugee management, and progress towards their repatriation process to Myanmar. The article argued that Myanmar's civil conflict had spilled over into Bangladesh's borders due to a sequence of events starting from when Myanmar's civil conflict erupted from its National Citizenship Act. Findings suggest that the Myanmar conflict has been displaced to Bangladesh through many refugee settlements that puts Bangladesh's population in midst of a host of issues concerning livelihood, safety, and security. This has been done while touching upon Bangladesh's position as a host country to millions of Rohingya refugees and shouldering issues already stemming from the temporary shelter of Rohingya people within its borders.

Deepening Connectivity and Mobility in Post-Pandemic ASEAN

“…This is because Myanmar's civil conflict had spilt over into Bangladesh's borders due to a sequence of events starting from when Myanmar's civil conflict erupted from its National Citizenship Act. Islam and Wara (2022) show how unregulated mobility might create potential conflict in other countries. In previous editions, JAS has published pieces on how the civil conflict in Southeast Asia can be resolved through the role of mediators that reduce the commitment issues of the negotiations and ensure the trust and confidence of the conflict parties (Candelaria, 2020).…”

The Conflict, Climate Change, and Displacement Nexus Revisited: The Protracted Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh

“…According to Roy and Chowdhury (2021), the extended stay of refugees, the battering of the tourism industry in Cox's Bazar as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and competition for land and resources led to the growing resentment towards refugees’ presence within Bangladesh. The multiple strains and pressures amount to what Islam and Wara (2022) consider as possible grounds for communal conflicts along with divisive politics in Bangladesh.…”

Review on Present Status of Rohingya People in Bangladesh: Effects on Social, Economic, Environment and Wildlife Habitat

“…Although the lack of legal refugee status for the Rohingya people may speed the use of harsher security measures against them, doing so could be harmful to the host community. The Director of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Major General Md Emdad Ul Bari, NDC, PSC, TE, has referred to this security risk by stating that "Different reports said that the Rohingya have shown a tendency to flare up conflicts and threaten both social and national security at both transit and destination countries" [42]. If the host community believes that government efforts to increase security in the area are insufficient, then collective measures taken by the host community outside of government involvement to increase security (such as active exclusion from income opportunities through the local government and law enforcement) can cause civil unrest and a rift between the host and the Rohingya community in the area.…”