Number of Rohingya increasing immensely

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM

Bangla Press Desk: The Bangladesh government and international organisations are struggling to manage the approximately 1.3 million Rohingya refugees in 33 camps across Cox’s Bazar's Ukhiya and Teknaf. The high birth rate among the Rohingya is also posing a severe threat to the local environment. According to statistics, an average of 87 children are born every day, with total number standing at nearly 32,000 per year. This rapid population growth is increasing the density within the camps and causing various problems, including housing shortages. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that without emergency funding, food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh will be completely suspended after 30 November. The WFP stated that they urgently need funds to continue providing a minimum ration. The need for additional funding has arisen due to the rapid population increase. Officials believe this rapid growth rate is making the Rohingya crisis even more complex. A middle-aged Rohingya was recently heard saying loudly on social media, "Why should we go to Myanmar? We'll stay here (in Bangladesh) and eat dirt if we have to, but we're not leaving." Meanwhile, Rohingya are entering Bangladesh from various border points almost daily. In just the past week, two to two hundred and fifty Rohingya entered Bangladesh and are now residing in various camps. Over the past year, nearly 150,000 Rohingya have entered the country. However, border guards (BGB) responsible for the area have stated that they are only allowing sick and injured Rohingya to enter on humanitarian grounds. During an international dialogue on the Rohingya issue, Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus stated that around 32,000 Rohingya children are born annually, and the Rohingya population has reached 1.3 million. Rohingya leader Moulvi Sayed Ahmad claims that an additional 150,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh in the last year. Many of these Rohingya, who have spread into the hilly areas of Cox's Bazar and Bandarban, remain outside of government counts. Local and administrative sources say that many have also settled outside of the refugee camps. Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said that the 33 Rohingya camps are located within 8,000 acres of forest land in the Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas. This large population is making the situation in the camps more difficult day by day. On one hand, infiltration from Myanmar has not stopped, and on the other hand, the number of newborns is increasing in every household. In this situation, there is no alternative to repatriating the Rohingya to their home country. According to various NGOs and health workers providing health and maternity services in the camps, there is very little awareness of family planning among Rohingya families. Most families are not interested in birth control methods. Many men have multiple wives, and the average number of children per wife is seven or eight.

While not directly acknowledging the new entry of Rohingya, Ramu Sector Commander Colonel Md. Mohiuddin Ahmad told reporters at a press conference at the Ramu Sector Headquarters yesterday that Rohingya who have come to the border after being persecuted in Myanmar have been given entry to Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds. He specified that they were letting in some injured, sick, and helpless Rohingya out of humanity. On the other hand, Nur Ahmad Anwari, chairman of Teknaf's Hoaikyang Union Parishad, said that it would not be appropriate to allow new Rohingya to enter and that the repatriation of those already sheltered is urgent. Similarly, Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, chairman of Ukhia's Palongkhali Union Parishad, said that due to the Rohingya, 50,000 people in his union are being deprived of citizen services. Drug trafficking on the rise In the eight years since their entry from Myanmar, Rohingya in Cox's Bazar have become widely involved in drug trafficking and various other criminal activities. An average of 54,884 pieces of Yaba enter Bangladesh from Myanmar via the Cox's Bazar border every day. In addition to Yaba, other drugs such as crystal meth (ice), heroin, cocaine, marijuana, opium, foreign liquor, Phensedyl, and others are also entering the country through the Naf River and land routes. According to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources, the amount of Yaba and other drugs seized each year is increasing. On August 13, BGB's Cox's Bazar region destroyed 20,033,949 pieces of Yaba, 140 kg of crystal meth (ice), 25.998 kg of heroin, 4.405 kg of cocaine, 52.8 kg of marijuana, 4 kg of opium, 800 pieces of Target tablets, and 22,155 bottles of foreign liquor that were seized over the past year. Additionally, 61,491 cans of beer, 169 bottles of Phensidyl, 1,799 liters of local liquor, and two bottles of whiskey were destroyed. Based on the Yaba seized in one year, an average of 54,887 pieces were recovered per day. Sources from the Department of Narcotics Control and various law enforcement agencies say that Rohingya infiltrators are deeply involved in drug smuggling on the borders of the Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts. Around 80% of drug traffickers and dealers arrested during anti-drug operations by BGB and other law enforcement agencies are Rohingya.

Murders seem unstoppable According to the district police, in just the first eight months of the current year, 250 cases of ten types of crimes, including murder, drugs, kidnapping, and rape, have been filed in the Rohingya camps. Of these, 18 were murder cases, 150 were drug cases, 50 were kidnapping cases, and 12 were rape cases. Since 2017, over 300 Rohingya have been murdered in the last eight years, with 287 murder cases being filed. At least ten Rohingya terrorist groups are active in the camps of Teknaf and Ukhia; the number was previously 14. Additional Superintendent of Police and district police spokesperson Md. Jasim Uddin Chowdhury said that a task force has been formed to control drugs. Joint efforts are underway to curb Rohingya-centric crimes, and "we are most active, especially in drug control." Rohingya becoming Bangladeshi with fake information

Although 1.3 million Rohingya who have arrived and been born since 25 August, 2017, are located in the camps, not a single Rohingya has been repatriated to Myanmar in eight years. Instead, they are desperately trying to obtain national identity cards (NIDs) in various ways. They are not only trying to get NIDs in Cox's Bazar but also in different parts of the country. Recently, four Rohingya, including men and women, were arrested in Narayanganj and Sirajganj. However, many have been successful in this attempt, becoming "Bangladeshi citizens" with national identity cards or citizenship certificates. One such Rohingya is Hafez Ahmed (50), a resident of South Pahartali Sattar Ghona in Ward 7 of Cox's Bazar city. He obtained a birth registration and, most recently, a national identity card (NID) using false information and various forgeries. When this was discovered, he was arrested by the Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station. In this way, the Rohingya issue is having a negative socioeconomic impact on Cox's Bazar. This article was originally published on Daily Sun.

[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

Number of Rohingya increasing immensely

Comments (0)

Join the Conversation

No comments yet

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Bangladesh T20 Exit Sparks Criticism of Asif Nazrul’s Role

New York Senate Adopts Resolution Honouring Bangla New Year

Power Shortages Deepen as Authorities Eye Supply Boost Next Month

DGHS Warns Hospitals Against Turning Away Measles Patients

Controversy as BSF Debates Snakes, Crocodiles for Bangladesh Border Security

Barapukuria Power Plant Suspends All Electricity Generation

Sangeet Academy