Crime and Securitization Conundrums in the Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh

• In Event: Refugees, Immigration, Punishment and Policing

Abstract

This study explores the complex relationship between the Rohingya camps, their environment, and the propensity for criminal activities. It delves into the crime and securitization challenges faced within the Rohingya camps, examining the unique dynamics and complexities that contribute to the vulnerability of the population to criminal activities. Using secondary resources, we addressed the key aspects such as the crime and securitization conundrum in the Rohingya camps, the presence of criminal gangs, illegal weapons, and abduction, gender-based violence, extremism, and insecurity, the impact of refugee populations on crime, and the overall impacts of the Rohingya camps on crime in Bangladesh. The objective of this research is to discuss whether there exists a correlation between Rohingya settlements and a heightened likelihood of criminal activities during the period spanning from 2017 to 2020, as is frequently documented by law enforcement agencies. We pose question on the common discourses found in different studies that there is significant impact on crime rates after the Rohingya peoples’ arrival, and subsequently push boundaries for further research.

Authors

• Khandaker Farzana Rahman, University of Illinois Chicago

• Md. Nazmul Arefin, University of Alberta