Unchecked Muslim militants seen as threat to both sides of Arakan-Bangladesh border

By Admin 25 Jul 2025

DMG Newsroom

25 July 2025, Sittwe

The International Crisis Group (ICG) has said that the repatriation of Muslim refugees in Bangladesh requires the prevention of recruitment efforts and control of the movement of Muslim militants in refugee camps.

In a report last month, the ICG indicated that Muslim armed groups are recruiting new soldiers in the refugee camps, and that a failure by Bangladeshi authorities to stop this will damage relations with the Arakan Army (AA) and make it difficult for refugees to return home.

"My view is that Bangladeshi security agencies are not preventing recruitment by Muslim armed groups. This is an issue that Bangladesh will have to address in order to improve relations with the Arakan Army in the future and to give the refugees some chance of a peaceful return," Thomas Keane, an ICG senior consultant on Myanmar and Bangladesh, told DMG in an interview.

The ICG warned in its June 18 report that several Muslim armed groups are recruiting new members in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, to fight the AA.

Keane also said that although the AA currently controls the entire Arakan-Bangladesh border, border security may be difficult due to its geography.

"This border is a very rough terrain, a very rugged area. It's remote and mountainous. I think it would be very difficult for any organization to control the entire Arakan-Bangladesh border. The AA knows this very well. If there is an armed insurgency in the border area, it would be very difficult for a larger organization," he said.

The ICG report recommended that the AA respond to the actions of Muslim armed groups and ensure that civilians are not subjected to abuses or mistreatment.

Political analysts say that if Bangladeshi authorities are tolerating Muslim armed groups, instability will persist on both sides of the border.

"As the AA attempts to control the northern Arakan State border with Bangladesh, the rise of groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) poses a challenge," said an 88 generation student activist.

"ARSA could invade AA-controlled areas and disrupt trade routes. According to the ICG, if these refugee camps become a haven for militants, the security of both the camps and the refugees would be a concern."