The Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh: A Vulnerable Group in Law and Policy

Abstract: Bangladesh is an over populated country of South Asia. India and Myanmar are the closest neighboring states of Bangladesh with whom it shares its borders. Right after her independence in 1971, Bangladesh has started experiencing the constant refugee flight of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar because of the fear of religious as well as ethnic persecution. Bangladesh has mostly welcomed them and provided them protection under the ad hoc decisions, notwithstanding there is no statutory law for the refugees. But till 2013, no solution has been found and the numbers of refugee flights have been gradually increasing to the extent it is said, Rohingya refugees are spoiling the reputation of Bangladesh in the international arena besides committing various crimes under the guise of fake Bangladeshi passport. Bangladesh is in a quandary over the refugee issues: firstly being the human rights issue and secondly the national security issue. I am of the positive and proactive opinion that it is now the appropriate time that Bangladesh should enact strict domestic laws to prevent the indirectly forced entrance of the Rohingyas from Myanmar. Qualitative and analytical research methods have been applied primarily; besides, non-doctrinal method has also been applied in this research.