Fighting for the Junta in Bangladesh's Hidden War
Rohingya Youth and the Politics of Recruitment
In my latest article for the Dhaka Tribune, "A Rohingya Youth's Ordeal in the Myanmar Military," I look at one young Rohingya man's harrowing experience of serving in the Myanmar military.
In the article, Abul Kalam recounts being coerced into service under threats of violence (as well as being given false promises), serving as a human shield on the frontlines, and enduring discrimination as a Rohingya soldier. His story reveals how the military manipulates ethnic tensions to deepen divisions between the Rohingya and other communities, such as the Rakhine. He also shares the personal toll of the conflict, including the bombing that killed six members of his family, and his eventual escape to Bangladesh.
Inside the Lines: Issue III – Recruitment Dynamics
Welcome to the third issue of Inside the Lines, our dedicated section focused on exploring the complexities of armed groups within the Rohingya crisis. In this edition, I undertake a BRIEF examination of Rohingya recruitment by:
Quantifying Recruitment Numbers: Through online research, I have gathered estimates to provide a clearer understanding of the scale of Rohingya recruitment by various armed factions.
Investigating Recruitment Meetings: I look into the almost daily recruitment gatherings and the concerning developments that have taken place. Dil Mohammed has been particularly active this week. (If you have not heard of this man, I give a brief synopsis below). Plans were unveiled to establish committees across all camps, enforce mandatory combat training for male members of every family, and coerce madrasas into compliance under threats of closure.
Surveying Rohingya Youth Perspectives: I ran a quick survey with educated Rohingya youth in the camps to get their raw, unfiltered thoughts on why they think Bangladesh has backed recruitment by armed groups. This issue lays out their honest takes.
We will start with the recruitment numbers: