Bangladesh had given shelter to thousands of Rohingyas for the sake of humanity in 2017. The refugees took shelter at Teknaf and Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar of the country. However, within five years of their taking shelter, the scenario of these border areas has drastically changed.
The Rohingya camps have now become the largest wholesale market of drugs. Murdering, enforced disappearance, plundering have now become common scenario here. The camps also have become the sanctuary for the kidnappers, which are the reason for headache in the localities. Already, the biodiversity of Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong Hill Tracts has been diminished, and now the communal harmony is in serious threat. The conflict of Rohingyas with local Bangladeshis has been habitual fact there. The locals gave them shelter, but now they’re at stake. According to the authorities concerned, the Rohingyas have become such a serious problem for Bangladesh that they can’t get out of that.
Various tension-creating information have been received from field visit in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Around 11 lakh Rohingyas are now living in 34 refugee camps in Teknaf and Ukhiya of Cox’s Baxzar. However, various armed gangs are active in the camps. This is ‘open secret,’ upon which none is interested or encouraged to talk about, because those who talked about it or provided information have become the target of the armed groups.
The center place of crimes: In last five years, more than 150 murders took place in 34 Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. The crimes like robbery, rape, kidnapping, murder seems to be normal scenario in this largest refugee camps in the world. According to the information of law enforcing agencies in Cox’s Bazar, one portion of the Rohingya refugees became involved in crime from 2018. After that, murder incident took place in the camps one after another, along with other crimes including kidnapping, human trafficking, gold smuggling etc.
In 2018, as part of anti-drug campaign across the country, 279 people died in gun-fight with law enforcing agencies. Among them 109 people were the Rohingyas.
The clattering of weapons: In Rohingya camps, in the beginning, some crimes were committed with native weapons such as knives, ramadas etc. However, various types of firearms are now clanking in that camp. Modern firearms are now having easy availability. Armed Rohingya groups are increasing the stockpile of modern weapons brought in there from home and abroad. And some local influential people have been accused of being directly involved in this work. There are 30 mafias in the Rohingya camp, who control the criminal underworld of the refugee camp.
On-field investigation has shown that the local administration has no control over any small or big hill in Teknaf and Ukhia of Cox's Bazar district. Armed Rohingyas lurk with their weapons in the canopied houses on the green hills. Young Rohingyas are trained to use two-handed pistols. Sometimes there is a dispute over the border of the mountain.
10 dangerous groups: According to government agencies, 10 dangerous rogue groups are currently active in Rohingya camps. Three terrorist groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army or Arsa, and seven robber gangs are active in Rohingya camps. Most of these camps are controlled by Arsa. Regular patrolling and surveillance could not be strengthened at the Tumbru Konapara camp located on the Zero Line. Because of this, the Konapara camp has become the center of Arsa's organizational activities, training, control of drug smuggling and terrorist activities.
Destruction of forest areas: About 12 thousand acres of protected forest area of Ukhia-Teknaf in Cox's Bazar has been destroyed in last five and a half years. This forest was destroyed while providing shelter to the Rohingyas. The forest of Ukhia-Teknaf was one of the habitats of the endangered Asian species of elephant, and the wild elephants are under threat.Hence, wild elephants are attacking the locality every year. Elephants are dying as well as humans and cattle are dying at an alarming rate.
Warning signboards are hung along the Ukhia Kutupalong highway - 'Wild Elephant Movement Path'. A refugee camp has been built by cutting small trees right behind it. More than 200,000 temporary houses have been built by cutting the slopes of high mountains or the foothills. Tube wells, toilets, power lines, roads, drainage canals, warehouses with offices of various government and private organizations have been installed. Forests are being cleared for fuel. Movement and roaming areas of wild elephants have been closed. There is no way to understand now - five years ago there were green forests and elephants in these hills.
According to the information of the Forest Department, about 12,200 acres of forest land in the region has been completely destroyed for the construction of Rohingya shelters and other infrastructure. In addition, another 3 to 4 thousand acres of forests have been deforested with a view to collect fuel for the Rohingyas. 525 species of plants were found in the vast hilly forests of Cox's Bazar and Teknaf, known to be habitats of mammalian wildlife. But due to the Rohingya settlements in the mountains, these are now on the verge of destruction. Due to the Rohingyas, the local population is suffering in various ways. Experts say that the quick repatriation of Rohingyas is the only solution to these problems.
As a result of the Rohingyas committing crimes day after day, it is becoming difficult for the locals to live in their own areas. Locals say that the Rohingyas are now a terror to them. Their only demand is that the Rohingyas should be sent back to Myanmar as soon as possible. The longer the repatriation is delayed, the greater will be the problems. Local residents were initially sympathetic to the Rohingyas. But due to their prolonged stay and violent behavior and terrorist activities, the sympathetic view of that time has changed. Due to the re-location of Rohingyas in Bangladesh, the locals are facing several problems. The main problem of them is the unstoppable increase in the price of goods. Then there is the decrease in the daily wages of workers.
Due to the influx of Rohingyas, the daily and social life of the locals is also disrupted. Because of them, the locals have lost their cropland, labor market and many things. If there is no quick repatriation, these Rohingyas will become a huge threat to the locals if the current increase in drug and arms trafficking continues. The authorities are trying to control these problems and keep a watchful eye to prevent them from getting worsened.
Cox's Bazar District Police Superintendent Mahfuzur Rahman said, “The Rohingyas are still committing the crimes they have been involved in since their arrival in 2017. There are different groups within the Rohingyas. They are fighting and clashing for grabbing dominance among themselves. Many Rohingyas are even involved in murder, drugs and smuggling. Due to such activities they are creating risk for themselves. However, ordinary Rohingyas are safe in the camp under the supervision of law enforcement and various NGOs.”
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on June 19 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
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