When the Terror Rules the Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

GAN, Arakan (Rakhine State)

Special Report November 28, 2024

It is deeply disturbing that the refugee camps, which should be places of safety and support for displaced people, have become areas of control and violence by radical groups like the ARSA. The use of terror tactics, including abduction, torture, and killing, especially targeting vulnerable populations such as women and aid workers, highlights the brutal consequences of extremist ideologies infiltrating these communities. The testimonies of victims on March 2019, such as the women aid workers who spoke out, are crucial in shedding light on the pervasive violence that is taking place within these camps. These actions not only disrupt humanitarian efforts but also create a climate of fear and insecurity, compounding the hardships faced by refugees;

“I was taken to a mountaintop away from my [neighborhood] block to a makeshift mosque. I was taken by an unknown man. On the way, I was crying . . . Once we got to the mosque, I saw my husband and many other men being tortured . . . They were being kicked and punched . . . One of the men told me, ‘You see how we torture the men? If you work [outside the home], we will do the same to you”

The control of extremist groups like ARSA over refugee camps creates a disturbing and unsafe environment, especially for women and those who criticize the group. A research paper written in 2021 underscores the alarming extent to which the camps have become breeding grounds for radicalization, where the social structure is manipulated by these groups to further their agendas. Understanding how these social structures are shaped within the camps is crucial to addressing the root causes of this extremism and providing better protection for vulnerable populations.

The report also uncovered other surprising factors that contribute to the fertile ground for religious radicalization in the camp environments. These include hundreds of mosques and madrasahs filling the camps, where most students—young orphans aged four to six, who have lost their families in Myanmar—are emotionally abandoned, isolated, and angry. These vulnerable children, immersed in strict religious teachings, are prime targets for militant recruitment, with radicalization starting even before age 15.

Led by Moulvi (religious teachers), these madrasahs focus solely on the Quran and Hadith, leaving students easily influenced by radical ideas. Many madrasahs are centrally located in the camps, making the students intimidating to approach alone, even during the day. Besides, as shown in Figure 6, aid organizations or diaspora contributions were indirectly distributed to ARSA members through the operations of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner's Office (RRRC).

In September 2023, a field report by Deutsche Welle (DW) mentioned that the ARSA enforced Sharia Law in the camps, despite officials from the Dhaka government categorically denying the presence of the ARSA there. One ARSA member said that they have the right to arrest and punish women if they dress "incorrectly," and several refugees in the camps were killed for speaking against the ARSA's activities, including extortion and abduction. Indeed, the key victims of these radical Islamic groups are the refugee populations themselves.

As the latest development in this dangerous situation, during a public rally with thousands of participants on August 25, 2024, in the refugee camps of Bangladesh, the speaker and his followers angrily shouted;

“Currently, in Arakan, the Arakan Army has occupied every inch of land. Similar to the Myanmar military, the Army is also oppressing the Rohingya people. Therefore, our enemy is the Arakan Army.”

Note: This chapter is part of the report titled "Growing Extremist Activities of Islamic Jihadist Groups in Northern Arakan," authored by GAN. The remaining parts and chapters will follow.