International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 14, Issue 8, 2017

Trapped in statelessness: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh (Review) (Open Access)

Milton A.H. , Rahman M. , Hussain S. , Jindal C. , Choudhury S. , Akter S. , Ferdousi S. , Mouly T.A. , Hall J. , Efird J.T.*
  • a Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia
  • b Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia
  • c Mercycorps, Pak Palace, Murree Road, Rawal Chowk, Islamabad, 45510, Pakistan
  • d Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia
  • e Newcastle Law School, Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia
  • f School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia
  • g WentWest Limited, Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN), Sydney, 2148, Australia
  • h Centre for Health and Development (CHAD), Dhaka, 1219, Bangladesh
  • i School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, 2052, Australia
  • j Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle (UON), Newcastle, 2308, Australia, Center for Health Disparities (CHD), Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville, NC 27834, United States

Abstract

The Rohingya people are one of the most ill-treated and persecuted refugee groups in the world, having lived in a realm of statelessness for over six generations, and who are still doing so. In recent years, more than 500,000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar (Burma) to neighboring countries. This article addresses the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, with special emphasis on the living conditions of this vulnerable population. We reviewed several documents on Rohingya refugees, visited a registered refugee camp (Teknaf), collected case reports, and conducted a series of meetings with stakeholders in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. A total of 33,131 registered Rohingya refugees are living in two registered camps in Cox’s Bazar, and up to 80,000 additional refugees are housed in nearby makeshift camps. Overall, the living conditions of Rohingya refugees inside the overcrowded camps remain dismal. Mental health is poor, proper hygiene conditions are lacking, malnutrition is endemic, and physical/sexual abuse is high. A concerted diplomatic effort involving Bangladesh and Myanmar, and international mediators such as the Organization of Islamic Countries and the United Nations, is urgently required to effectively address this complex situation. © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

statelessness Rohingya refugee Bangladesh Myanmar

Index Keywords

statistics and numerical data Vulnerable Populations Emigrants and Immigrants vulnerable population Internationality international cooperation Bangladesh refugee Refugees Myanmar human Humans migrant public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85028310171&doi=10.3390%2fijerph14080942&partnerID=40&md5=7c4707912cd1da1ad97fff3b78a1ac70
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14080942
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English