Representation of Forcibly Displaced Rohingyas in Bangladeshi Newspapers

The forcibly displaced Rohingyas who have experienced the worst forms of violence in Myanmar now suffer from extreme vulnerability while living in makeshift hillside camps in Cox's Bazar. Different international actors are engaged in mitigating their plights, particularly frontline humanitarian organizations are working hard to provide some of the basic needs for this group of people. This chapter is based on an extensive literature review of the Rohingya crisis and content analysis of two lead Bangladeshi newspapers. We found that very little literature used the term ‘dignity’ in representing the Rohingyas and their plight. Regarding the Bangladeshi newspapers, we observed that often Rohingyas are portrayed as a burden, or as a problem. Moreover, while some good progresses have been made by the government of Bangladesh and frontline humanitarian organisations, there seem to be some concerns around relationships with the host community and donor organisations in understanding this group's further loss of dignity. Therefore, we insist that a long-term approach should focus more on a dignified resolution of this crisis ensuring the rightful, peaceful, and safe lives of this victim group.