(06) Challenges in the humanitarian response at Rohingya camps in Bangladesh: a study of the perceptions of local NGO workers, Md. Sadequle Islam
Md. Sadequle Islam
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Chittagong
Bangladesh
Email: sadequle.eng@cu.ac.bd
DOI: 10.47556/J.WJEMSD.19.3-4.2023.6
PURPOSE: Myanmar’s Rohingya population has endured decades of institutionalised prejudice and targeted violence. Nearly a million Muslim people fled to Bangladesh as a result of the most recent of these incidents, which occurred in late August 2017, sparking a significant humanitarian catastrophe. Numerous domestic and foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) participated in the response to this massacre. However, despite the initiatives from these NGOs, the Rohingyas remain in an extremely precarious situation. This case study examines the challenges in the humanitarian responses faced by the development workers at the Rohingya camps in Ukhia Upazilla of the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: To find a consolidated picture of the challenges, 10 development workers from local NGOs were interviewed and these semi-structured interviews were transcribed for content and discourse analysis.
FINDINGS: The result of this qualitative study shows that although there has been a mushroom growth of Rohingya camp-based NGOs in Bangladesh, they often face challenges in terms of operation and co-ordination. In addition to the mismatches between policy and action from the government and NGOs, direct interference from local political leaders, impediments from Rohingya majhis and bureaucratic complications are the major challenges that need to be addressed in order to ensure smooth and true humanitarian responses at the Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh.
ORIGINAL VALUE OF THE PAPER: This research work focuses on the challenges faced by the local NGO workers in order to pave the way to unearth the unaddressed challenges.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: By considering the challenges, the NGO workers and the Rohingya communities can be supported and strengthened to ensure a more effective response.
KEYWORDS: Humanitarian Response, Perceptions, NGOs, Challenges, Rohingya, Bangladesh.
