The Rohingya are perennial pawns in Bangladesh’s politics

The Jamaat has described the Arakan Army’s brief cross‑border presence and cultural engagement with local tribes as grave violations of Bangladesh’s sovereignty. This reflects a communally motivated lens on security, in which armed Rakhine formations are cast primarily as threats to Bengali‑Muslim dominance and Bangladesh’s territorial integrity.The Jamaat has described the Arakan Army’s brief cross‑border presence and cultural engagement with local tribes as grave violations of Bangladesh’s sovereignty. This reflects a communally motivated lens on security, in which armed Rakhine formations are cast primarily as threats to Bengali‑Muslim dominance and Bangladesh’s territorial integrity.In August 2025, at a public event in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s newly appointed National Security Adviser, Khalilur Rahman, made a striking declaration. Referring to long-stalled efforts to send Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, he said, “The Rohingya crisis is like a cancer in Bangladesh’s body. It needs long-term treatment. Until now, the issue has been in the ICU – we have started treatment. All the doctors must now work together to cure it.”

More than 1.1 million Rohingya are now confined to overcrowded camps around Cox’s Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh. International funding has been falling sharply, leaving basic services increasingly stretched. They are barred from formal work, face tight restrictions on movement and education, and are prevented from integrating into Bangladeshi society. In recent years, discrimination and harassment have intensified, while living conditions in the camps have steadily worsened.