Bangladesh

The dispute over a fence going up on the Myanmar border continues.  As the fence is erected, Bangladesh border troops are being deployed to the common border.  This has an effect on the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar, because they cross this border fleeing rape, forced labor, and property confiscation seeking refuge...
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There are long-existing points of tension between Bangladesh and Burma such as disputes over maritime boundaries and the movement of illegal goods. One of the most sensitive issued has been the  cross-border trafficking of drugs and the migration of refugees from Burma to Bangladesh. In the last couple of weeks tensions have been mounting...
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In an earlier blog I wrote about the leaders in Bangladesh and Thailand that were beginning to put pressure on the Government of Burma to discuss the out-migration of the Rohingya to Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia. It seems now that we may be beyond that point. Business Day recently reported that the...
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The Government of Bangladesh may have reached its tipping point hosting the Rohingya refugees in the southeastern part of the country.  In a recent report in Reuters, the Governments of Bangladesh and Thailand are reaching out to the Government of Burma to discuss the flow of the Muslim minority Rohingya into neighboring countries.  While...
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Often international pressure is placed on countries to move toward a more democratic state and possess the associated qualities like freedom and liberty. Two weeks ago, Bangladesh celebrated a new milestone, the return to democratic rule. After election preparations in 2006 were shut down and emergency rule imposed, many on-lookers cast doubt...
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Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct research in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. While many know about the plight of the impoverished in Bangladesh, the presence of the Rohingya refugees has received much less attention. The Rohingya are a minority Muslim ethnic group from the Rakhine state of Myanmar, which...
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In the muddied setting of an overcrowded camp, Jhora Shama crouches on top of a square of bamboo, while curious neighbors, friends, and family swarm into the darkened room to hear her story. At once the room is packed and smoke fills the open spaces between bodies, until there is barely breathing room....
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