authorities. On 13 November, state minister Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts of Kamal Ahmed Majumder told high-school Chittagong Hill Tracts worsened the problem students: “I’m in favour of crossfire because of water scarcity for hill people in the region. hundreds of thousands of people pass sleepless nights because of criminals. Those REFUGEES’ RIGHTS criminals have no right to live.” His statement Violence in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar indicated that “crossfire” was used by the escalated, with fires damaging shelters in the authorities to mean extrajudicial execution, as camps, killing at least 15 people, injuring opposed to retaliation in self-defence. hundreds and displacing thousands in the VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS first quarter of the year. On 29 September, armed men shot dead Mohib Ullah, a At least 1,321 women were reported to have prominent Rohingya civil society leader, in 4 been raped during the year, although actual the Kutupalong camp. At least seven more numbers were likely to be higher. Reports people were killed by violent groups on 22 indicated a rise in the number of incidents of October in the Balukhali camp. Some sexual harassment and violence against Rohingya refugees reported feeling insecure women compared to previous years. inside the camps after they received death According to Ain o Salish Kendra, 224 threats by phone. Refugees reported that women were murdered by their husbands, armed groups operating drug cartels and alongside other incidences of violence committing extortion killed people as they against women including physical assault by vied for control of the camps. male partners or family members. Section Bangladesh relocated more than 19,000 155(4) of the Evidence Act 1872 allows Rohingya refugees to Bhashan Char, a defence counsels to raise questions remote island in the Bay of Bengal, despite regarding the character of a woman who files concerns about conditions on the island. a complaint of sexual violence. Calls for Refugees with friends and family in camps on reforms to the legislation and justice system the mainland were not permitted to leave the from rights activists were not addressed island. Media reported that more than 200 during the year. refugees were arrested or detained for “escaping” from the island, which remained INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS off-limits to journalists, human rights On 28 October the cabinet secretary, defenders and humanitarian workers without Khandker Anwarul Islam, said that people prior permission. The Bangladeshi living in forests would be removed to other government and the UN signed a places in a bid to keep forests “intact”. memorandum of understanding on 9 Indigenous peoples’ rights activists expressed October, establishing a common protection concern that the action could put Indigenous and policy framework for the humanitarian peoples at risk of forced eviction. Some response to the Rohingya refugee situation. Indigenous communities have been living in Although the memorandum paved the way the forests for centuries and Indigenous for refugees to access services such as groups reported continued violations of their education and the right to voluntary rights, including land grabbing and relocation, it continued to restrict freedom of deforestation. On 30 May, non-state actors movement. cut down 1,000 betel trees belonging to 48 Indigenous Khasi families at Agar punji, a 1. “Bangladesh: End crackdown on freedom of expression online”, 25 cluster village in Moulvibazar. The trees had July been a key source of livelihood for the 2. “Bangladesh: Rozina Islam must not be punished for her journalistic community. Continued deforestation and work”, 19 May clearing of stones and sand from surface 3. Bangladesh Mid-Term UPR Assessment (Index: ASA 13/4732/2021), water bodies across Rangamati, 22 September Amnesty International Report 2021/22 88