Rohingya Refugees and Security Threat to Local Residents: An Empirical Study at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Abstract

Refugees have become one of the most debatable issue in this decade. Worldwide 22.5 million are count as refugees, where 84% were from developing countries. In 2017 near 1 million rohingya refugees have crossed the Myanmar border to save from crime against humanity. Different dimensions of refugee crisis now being studied by scholar on their victimization and needs. In international basis refugees creating major threat issue as terrorism, violent crime to petty crimes. This study has focused on exploring possible security threats that been created by the rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Integrated Threat Theory (ITT) has been used from the criminological perspective to explain threat. Purely quantitative method used and primary data has been collected from local residents in Cox’s Bazar where refugees present. The main objective was to find the prevalence of threat within those areas. This study has tried to explore the different forms of security threat like threat to life and property, police secrecy, hostile & violent environment, crime involvement and residents victimized by rohingyas. Different types of crime threat as violent, petty, public order, drugs & arms and border security have been studied and compared crime of rohingya refugees with general police data. Additionally, association found in some socio demographic characteristics e.g. gender, place of living, religion, education with threat. Police capabilities to prevent crime related refugees has also linked. Finally, some recommendations are drawn from public and academic perspective.

Keywords: Rohingya Refugee Crisis, Security Threat, Crime, Police Capabilities, Local Residents Acceptance.

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/98-26

Publication date:June 30th 2020