Rohingya Problem in Bangladesh
Introduction
The Rohingya people are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from the state of Rakhine (also known as Arakan, or Rohang in the Rohingya language) in Burma. The Rohingya are ethno-linguistically related to the Indo-Aryan peoples of India and Bangladesh (as opposed to the majority Sino-Tibetan people of Burma). The region of Rakhine was annexed and occupied by Myanmar in the 1700s, thus bringing the Rohingya people under Burmese rule. As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Burma. According to the United Nations, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and to areas along the Thai-Burma border. Their plight came to international media attention in the wake of the 2012 Rakhine State riots.
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Etymology
The term "Rohingya" comes from Rohang, the Rohingya word for the state of Arakan, from where the Rohingya originate. Though some Rohingya historians, like Khalilur Rahma, contend that the term Rohingya may be derived from the Arabic word Rahma meaning 'mercy', this is unlikely. They trace the term back to a shipwreck in the 8th century CE. According to them, after the Arab ship wrecked near Ramree Island, Arab traders were ordered to be executed by the Arakaneseking. Then, they shouted in their language, 'Rahma'. Hence, these people were called 'Raham'. Gradually it changed from Raham to Rhohang and finally to Rohingyas. However, the claim was disputed by Jahiruddin Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed, former president and Secretary of the Arakan Muslim Conference respectively. They argued that shipwreck Muslims are currently called 'Thambu Kya' Muslims, and currently reside along the Arakan sea shore. If the term Rohingya was indeed derived from that group of Muslims, "Thambu Kyas" would have been the first group to be known as Rohingyas. According to them, Rohingyas were descendants of inhabitants of Ruha in Afghanistan. Another
The Rohingya people are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from the state of Rakhine (also known as Arakan, or Rohang in the Rohingya language) in Burma. The Rohingya are ethno-linguistically related to the Indo-Aryan peoples of India and Bangladesh (as opposed to the majority Sino-Tibetan people of Burma). The region of Rakhine was annexed and occupied by Myanmar in the 1700s, thus bringing the Rohingya people under Burmese rule. As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Burma. According to the United Nations, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and to areas along the Thai-Burma border. Their plight came to international media attention in the wake of the 2012 Rakhine State riots.
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Etymology
The term "Rohingya" comes from Rohang, the Rohingya word for the state of Arakan, from where the Rohingya originate. Though some Rohingya historians, like Khalilur Rahma, contend that the term Rohingya may be derived from the Arabic word Rahma meaning 'mercy', this is unlikely. They trace the term back to a shipwreck in the 8th century CE. According to them, after the Arab ship wrecked near Ramree Island, Arab traders were ordered to be executed by the Arakaneseking. Then, they shouted in their language, 'Rahma'. Hence, these people were called 'Raham'. Gradually it changed from Raham to Rhohang and finally to Rohingyas. However, the claim was disputed by Jahiruddin Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed, former president and Secretary of the Arakan Muslim Conference respectively. They argued that shipwreck Muslims are currently called 'Thambu Kya' Muslims, and currently reside along the Arakan sea shore. If the term Rohingya was indeed derived from that group of Muslims, "Thambu Kyas" would have been the first group to be known as Rohingyas. According to them, Rohingyas were descendants of inhabitants of Ruha in Afghanistan. Another