Armed groups in Rohingya camps pose serious internal security threat

Armed groups in Rohingya camps pose serious internal security threat
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said on Sunday that the growing activities of armed groups inside Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are emerging as a serious threat to Bangladesh’s internal security, raising concerns over violence, criminal networks and the safety of both refugees and host communities. “Bangladesh has been providing shelter, food, land, healthcare and essential protection for basic living needs to more than 1.5 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds for nine years. However, over time, criminal activities, arms and drug trafficking, human trafficking, gender-based violence, and the activities of armed groups have increased in the camps, posing a serious challenge to Bangladesh’s internal security,” he said, addressing a discussion as chief guest in the capital. The Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation organised the roundtable, titled “The Rohingya Crisis: Emerging Challenges and Reframing Response Strategies,” at the BIISS auditorium. The home minister said the livelihoods of communities living near the camps, along with the environment, have come under serious threat, and that security measures such as fencing around the camps and a regulated movement system have become essential. Calling for continued international support, Salahuddin Ahmed said the Rohingya issue must remain high on the international agenda, particularly at the United Nations, and urged that the crisis not be overshadowed by other global issues.