Trapped in Statelessness: Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

Abul Hasnat Milton, Mijanur Rahman, Sumaira Hussain, Charulata Jindal, Sushmita Choudhury, Shahnaz Akter, Shahana Ferdousi, Tafzila Akter Mouly, John Hall and Jimmy T. Efird
Additional contact information
Abul Hasnat Milton: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle 2308, Australia
Mijanur Rahman: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle 2308, Australia
Sumaira Hussain: Mercycorps, Pak Palace, Murree Road, Rawal Chowk, Islamabad 45510, Pakistan
Charulata Jindal: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle 2308, Australia
Sushmita Choudhury: Newcastle Law School, Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle (UON); Newcastle 2308, Australia
Shahnaz Akter: School of Medicine and Public Health, the University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle 2308, Australia
Shahana Ferdousi: WentWest Limited, Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN), Sydney 2148, Australia
Tafzila Akter Mouly: Centre for Health and Development (CHAD), Dhaka 1219, Bangladesh
John Hall: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Jimmy T. Efird: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle 2308, Australia

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-8

Abstract: The Rohingya people are one of the most ill-treated and persecuted refugee groups in the world, having lived in a realm of statelessness for over six generations, and who are still doing so. In recent years, more than 500,000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar (Burma) to neighboring countries. This article addresses the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, with special emphasis on the living conditions of this vulnerable population. We reviewed several documents on Rohingya refugees, visited a registered refugee camp (Teknaf), collected case reports, and conducted a series of meetings with stakeholders in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. A total of 33,131 registered Rohingya refugees are living in two registered camps in Cox’s Bazar, and up to 80,000 additional refugees are housed in nearby makeshift camps. Overall, the living conditions of Rohingya refugees inside the overcrowded camps remain dismal. Mental health is poor, proper hygiene conditions are lacking, malnutrition is endemic, and physical/sexual abuse is high. A concerted diplomatic effort involving Bangladesh and Myanmar, and international mediators such as the Organization of Islamic Countries and the United Nations, is urgently required to effectively address this complex situation.

Keywords: Rohingya refugee; statelessness; Bangladesh; Myanmar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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