Migrants and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges to Institutions and Organizations in Managing Rohingya Refugees

Abstract

A few of organiazational studies have been conducted in managing Rohingya refugees under COVID-19 pandemic situation. This study undertook a closer view of the organiztional aporaches in manaigng rohingya refugees in Bangaldesh under COVID-19. After indepth studies of secondary sources and having conducted field reserach at different refugee camps and humanitarian organizations who are located at refuge camp sites, it has been found that these organizations are advancing towards unifying operations of multi-sector stakheolders. Accordingly, unified managment of physical, finanacial, and human resources in a centralized management are poised to come under the UNHCR. Rohingya refugee have been found aware of the forthcoming centarlized managment approach. Also, the refugees appeared to be uncertain and wary of their potential future. Some refugees expressed their apprehension that the centratlized approach may not be as expected to meet their needs. The Rohingya refugee expectations appear to stipulate resources to equipping them with more conducive arrangements and vocational training that may render them a foreseeable future where the refugees would live a progressive civic life with commensurate lifestyles. Nevertheless, the upcoming centralized organizational approach to overcome an ephemeral arrangement on the part of the humanitarian organizations, the new arrangement can be a sustainable solution. An utmost achievement for Rohingya refugees would be that if the Myanmar authorities can be pursued to form legal contracts with the Rohingya population, under the UN arrangements, to devise a mutual understanding for economic development of Myanmar, in general, and of Rohingya or Rakhine population, in particular. Accordingly, the Rohingya refugees would need to be taken back to their homestead where they belonged ensuring allocations and provisions for their physiological and other basic needs that are conducive to a progressive civic life. How this newly formed centralized organization advances to meet the required refugee supports is a point of consideration that warrant specific future research.