Amid food shortages and other crises in refugee camps in Bangladesh, some Muslim families have been returning to Arakan State, according to reports.
The World Food Programme (WFP) previously provided $12.50 per refugee monthly for food support, but since April, this has been reduced to $6 per person.
Facing insufficient food supplies in the camps, refugees are moving back to Arakan State, said a Muslim man from the Kutupalong Refugee Camp.
“Refugees aren’t allowed to work outside the camps. Families with many children struggle to survive. Some families are relocating to their native Arakan State, but this involves only a small number. Life in the camps is extremely difficult,” he said.
Muslims entering Arakan from Bangladesh’s refugee camps are settling in villages such as Min Ga Lar Gyi, U Shint Kya, U Thu Lar, Kyauk Hle Gar, and Laik Ya in the northern part of Maungdaw Township, as well as some villages in Buthidaung Township.
The exact number of returning Muslim refugees is not yet known.
An 18 June report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) noted that Muslim armed groups are recruiting and training individuals in Bangladesh’s refugee camps to fight the Arakha Army (AA).
This could strain relations between the AA and Bangladesh, potentially delaying refugee repatriation plans, the ICG warned.
However, Bangladeshi authorities denied any military activities in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, according to a Dhaka Tribune report.
The presence of armed groups exerting influence in the camps is also seen as a factor pushing Muslim refugees to return to Arakan.
While some returnees can be screened, others are difficult to verify, said a source close to the AA.
“They’re coming to live in Muslim villages in northern Maungdaw. Some can be screened, but if security forces don’t notice certain people, verification becomes impossible,” the source said.
Over 700,000 Muslims fled Arakan State to Bangladesh due to the military junta’s security operations following unrest in Maungdaw in 2017.
In 2024, battles between the junta troops and the AA prompted further displacements to Bangladesh.
Currently, Bangladeshi authorities estimate 1.2 million Muslim refugees reside in the country’s camps.
Efforts to repatriate Muslim refugees under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government and the current junta have not been successful.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Adviser, Tohid Hossein, warned at a UN Security Council meeting on 19 June that failure to resolve the Muslim refugee crisis could soon pose a regional security threat.
With the Arakha Army controlling the Arakan-Bangladesh border, discussions with the AA are needed to facilitate refugee repatriation, according to emerging recommendations.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG).
