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Based on 29 in-depth
interviews conducted between August 2023 and November 2024, the
report documents how Rohingya WHRDs are excluded from leadership,
denied freedom of movement and assembly, and regularly targeted for
surveillance, intimidation, and harassment by Bangladeshi authorities
- particularly the Armed Police Battalion, Camp-in-Charge government
officials, and security forces- as well as by Rohingya militant and
criminal groups. Furthermore, some of the women face reprisals for
engaging with international justice mechanisms, including the
International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of
Justice (ICJ).
“Everywhere women are
being restricted and we are not allowed to do activities like men,”
said one Rohingya WHRD interviewed by BHRN. “We are seeing so many
things happening in front of us, but we cannot share because it will
put our lives in danger.”
The report finds that
WHRDs who organize protests, lead civil society groups, or even
attend international meetings are subjected to forced pledges,
abductions, and physical violence. Widows and unmarried women are
particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment and coercion. Despite
Bangladesh’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, survivors face significant
barriers to reporting abuses and have no access to effective
remedies.
Online gender-based
violence has also become a major threat to Rohingya WHRDs. BHRN found
that 52 percent of interviewees had been targeted through
cyberstalking, doxing, identity theft, and manipulated images - often
posted by individuals seeking to silence or discredit women
advocates. These attacks frequently result in real-world
consequences, including death threats, forced displacement, and
family rejection.
“They found photos of my
husband and my sister and posted them on the fake account,” said one
WHRD. “Since my photos started to be shared online, my neighbors
started treating me badly. I am also facing issues now with my
husband because of this.”
Despite the appointment
of an interim government in August 2024, BHRN found no meaningful
improvements in conditions for WHRDs. Restrictions on Rohingya-led
civil society have persisted, and Bangladeshi security forces
continue to obstruct the rights to freedom of expression, assembly,
and association for Rohingya women.
BHRN is calling on the
interim Government of Bangladesh to uphold its international legal
obligations by protecting WHRDs, dismantling barriers to civic
participation, and taking urgent steps to end impunity for armed
groups and security forces operating in the camps. The organization
also urges United Nations agencies, donor governments, and social
media companies to provide targeted support for WHRDs at risk and
expand access to safe spaces and third-country resettlement.
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