UNHCR: Failing Rohingya Refugees in Kutupalong
Rohingya refugees in limbo.
When does protection become oppression? At the UNHCR Transit Centre in Kutupalong, the answer seems clear: when an institution tasked with safeguarding the most vulnerable transforms their lives into a prolonged nightmare. My latest article in the Dhaka Tribune exposes the neglect, corruption, and systemic failure within this so-called sanctuary.
Originally intended as a temporary refuge, the Transit Centre has devolved into an "open jail," as one former resident described it. Vulnerable groups, including Christian Rohingya, have been trapped for years in overcrowded, substandard conditions with no clarity about their future. Movement is restricted, medical services are inadequate, and the food is insufficient and culturally inappropriate. Is this the dignity refugees deserve?
Worse still are the stories of extortion and intimidation. Jiya Rahman, a designated protection case, continues to receive death threats after witnessing the assassination of Mohib Ullah. Instead of shielding him, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) has allegedly demanded bribes and threatened to fabricate charges. Refugees like Rahman have reported these abuses to the UNHCR—yet no meaningful action has been taken.
When I tried to verify these allegations, both APBn and UNHCR refused to respond. Thirteen detailed questions to the UNHCR went unanswered. A junior APBn officer gave me the contact details of his Inspector in Charge. The latter ignored my request for comment. Their silence speaks volumes about their accountability—or lack thereof. This refusal to engage isn’t just an insult to journalists—it’s an insult to the refugees whose lives they claim to protect.
UNHCR’s recent policy changes, including the cessation of food and gas cylinder distributions, have only exacerbated the plight of those they claim to protect.
According to the refugees, UNHCR is failing in its mandate to protect the Rohingya. Refugees at the Transit Centre are not just forgotten—they are actively being harmed by the very systems meant to help them.
Read the full exposé in the Dhaka Tribune