Renewed violence in Myanmar has forced around 80,000 more Rohingyas to take shelter in Bangladesh since August last year, worsening the already precarious situation in Cox's Bazar camps, shows a recent study.

Conducted by the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC) and the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), the study delved into the worsening living conditions, gender-based violence, and security concerns in the refugee camps.

The study titled "Gendered Violence and Insecurity in the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh: New Insights and Ways Forward" was presented at a workshop in a city hotel yesterday.

Highlighting the challenges of managing the influx, Ferdousi Shahriar, director general of the foreign ministry's Myanmar Wing, said, "Many refugees enter Bangladesh through remote and poorly monitored areas. People running for their lives find ways to cross the border, especially in regions where our presence is limited."

Bangladesh, which has already provided shelter to over 1.2 million displaced Rohingyas, remains committed to working with regional and international partners to address the crisis, she said.

Ferdousi also noted the role of Malaysia and China in ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

At the workshop, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, refugee relief and repatriation commissioner, said many refugees are resorting to informal labour to support their families since each of them gets a meagre allowance of Tk 16 per day.

"Many Rohingyas are involved in salt cultivation in southern Bangladesh and deep-sea fishing in the Bay of Bengal," he added.

The study points out escalation in gender-based violence in the camps, with physical assault, sexual abuse, forced marriages, and psychological trauma becoming commonplace.

According to Dr Benjamin Etzold, senior researcher at BICC, armed groups recruited between 3,000 and 5,000 young men from the camps in the first half of 2024 alone.

These groups, including ARSA, RSO, and the Arakan Army, forcibly conscripted young men, often subjecting them to torture, trafficking, and coercion to fight for armed factions in Myanmar.

Gender-based violence remains deeply entrenched in the camps due to patriarchal norms and militarised environments, the study said. The problem is further exacerbated by armed groups using sexual violence and forced marriages as tools of control and intimidation.

Syeda Rozana Rashid, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University and treasurer of RMMRU, presented the study's recommendations, which included enhancing livelihood opportunities through vocational training, microfinance initiatives, and educational programmes.

Raising awareness about the multifaceted nature of gender-based violence and establishing robust security within the camps and border areas were also recommended.

Addressing the workshop as the chief guest, Women and Children's Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid stressed the urgency of tackling gender-based violence through a multi-level approach.

She emphasised that while interventions at the community, national, and international levels are crucial, the focus should not be only on mitigating problems such as child marriage and trafficking but addressing the root causes of the instability in the region.

"We need to move beyond treating this as just another humanitarian crisis. The cycle of violence and displacement will continue unless we find out and address the underlying causes," Sharmeen said.

Experts at the workshop urged global actors to engage in collective action to find lasting solutions for the Rohingyas.

The need for regional diplomacy, peacekeeping initiatives, and a unified response to the Rohingya crisis was echoed throughout the discussions.

The continued instability in Myanmar, compounded by the absence of strong governance, has left the Rohingyas in a perpetual state of vulnerability, further underscoring the need for international solidarity.

James Goldman, deputy high commissioner and development director at the British High Commission in Dhaka; Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, former professor of international relations at Dhaka University and executive director of RMMRU; Sohela Nazneen, senior research fellow at the University of Sussex, UK; and Md Rafiqul Islam, professor of peace and conflict studies at Dhaka University, spoke at the workshop.