Policy Challenges towards Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh: The Role of National Development Experts

The Rohingya crisis constitutes one of the most significant humanitarian concerns of the current world. Nearly one million Rohingya live in the congested camps of Cox's Bazar, making it the largest displacement camp in a non-conflict environment. The government of Bangladesh and the international community are offering some much-needed humanitarian support to this vulnerable group of people. However, the enormity and complex nature of the crisis have also created space for researchers, academics, and activists to get involved in the quest for a dignified and sustainable solution and/or to secure justice for the crimes against the Rohingyas. Based on 25 qualitative interviews with development professionals working on Rohingya issues, this paper explores to what extent these experts can play a meaningful role in resolving this crisis. Our evidence suggests that a nonchalant non-responsive practice limits the role of experts towards finding a dignified solution to the crisis. Additionally, for national development experts (NDEs) as opposed to international experts, the space is further confined. Our findings also reveal that the lack of an evidence-based policy culture further complicates the Rohingya crisis as locally derived expertise is often ignored in policy recommendations when seeking a durable yet dignified solution to the Rohingya crisis.