Staff Reporter :
Rohingya migration has emerged as a significant challenge for Bangladesh, as attempts to cross the border persist amid limited resources and personnel to fully control the influx.
Many Rohingyas are seeking refuge in Bangladesh to escape ongoing conflict in Myanmar, taking advantage of the porous border and a shortage of security personnel.
Since 2017, Bangladesh has sheltered approximately 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, creating a saturated situation with no clear prospect of repatriation.
The Rohingya population in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has become vulnerable due to continued clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, prompting many to flee and seek refuge in Cox’s Bazar.
In September, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain reported that around 8,000 Rohingyas had recently crossed into Bangladesh.
Despite the government’s efforts to curb such movement, the porous border and limited Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and law enforcement resources have made it challenging to stem the flow.
In a recent incident, 81 Rohingya individuals were detained by local residents while attempting to enter Bangladesh through the Ali Kadam border on Monday morning.
The group was apprehended at a bus station in Ali Kadam as they attempted to disperse to various locations within the country. According to eyewitnesses, the Rohingyas entered Bangladesh early in the morning.
Local residents, noticing their presence and activities, intervened and detained the group, citing concerns about community safety and resource strain.
Local authorities were quickly notified, and with their support, the detained Rohingyas were handed over to the BGB for further processing.
Rupayan Deb, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Ali Kadam, confirmed the incident, highlighting the local community’s role in identifying and detaining the group before they could integrate into the local population.
“We are grateful to the residents for their vigilance,” Deb told the media.
“Our priority is to ensure community safety while managing the complexities of border security. Investigations are ongoing to determine if there was any local involvement in facilitating their entry.”
However, in June 2023, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called for the suspension of this project, asserting that conditions in Myanmar posed serious risks to the lives and liberties of returning Rohingyas.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews voiced concerns, alleging that some Rohingya refugees were being pressured or misled into repatriation.