World Refugee Day: From refugee to citizen
The International Refugee Day 2023 not only sheds light on the challenges faced by refugees but also celebrates their resilience, courage, and contributions to their host communities.
"I was a refugee during my earlier years when I had arrived from India to what was then East Pakistan. I still remember a few things. I remember the riot in Pakistan and India and us being stowed in a goods wagon," Amena Khatun, a resident of Geneva camp recalled during an earlier interview.
"We had some utensils with us and we cooked our food in the wagon. After a long, and often scary, journey we reached Santahar in the north. During the train journey from there, I asked my father where we were going. He said we were off to a new country: Pakistan," she recalled.
From then till now, a lot changed, including the birth of a new nation, imbibed in the spirit of freedom and self-determination.
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Overnight, Amena became a refugee, one of the very firsts in the brand new nation of Bangladesh.
As a refugee, today is a day to remember Amena and many others like her, across the world. Although Amena is no longer with us, her tale remains.
Every year on 20 June, the world comes together to observe International Refugee Day. This important day serves as a reminder of the millions of people around the globe who have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to conflicts, persecution, or other forms of violence.
Many times, such as in Amena's case, it was a coincidence.
The World Refugee Day 2023 not only sheds light on the challenges faced by refugees but also celebrates their resilience, courage, and contributions to their host communities.
The first refugee
The history of the Urdu-speaking Bangladeshi community goes back to the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947.
The subcontinent experienced two critical upheavals - the creation of India and Pakistan and the mass migration of Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh refugees.
During or prior to Partition, many Muslims had migrated from across India to East and West Pakistan. Nearly one million Urdu-speaking Muslims from the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal came to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
As most originated in violence-torn Bihar, the moniker stuck – with the refugees still being referred to as Biharis 75 years later.
Being Urdu speakers, Biharis enjoyed a certain amount of privilege prior to 1971 and so, relations with the Bangla-speaking Bengali majority were not warm in the 1950s and 1960s, who viewed the Biharis seen as symbols of West Pakistan domination in the region.
Following the 1971 Liberation War, Biharis were seen as supporters of the Pakistan regime and then forced into refugee camps run by the ICRC – International Committee of the Red Cross.
But this move did not apply across all boundaries. It was mostly those from lower-income groups – such as Amena's family – who found themselves in camps, as they had nowhere else to go.
The march to citizenship
Relevant nationality laws, particularly the Bangladesh Citizenship (Temporary Provisions) Order of 1972, confirmed all those resident in Bangladesh at the time of independence and who continued to live in the country as citizens.
In addition, Bangladeshi citizenship is conferred on every person born in Bangladesh or whose father is a Bangladeshi resident or citizen as of March 25, 1971 by the Citizenship Act of 1951.
Thus, the Urdu-speaking minority was essentially entitled to citizenship under the former and citizenship was even more clear-cut for the younger generation born in the camps.
In 2008 high court judgment declared that Biharis living in 116 camps all over Bangladesh are Bangladeshi citizens and Urdu Speaking Bangladeshis.
It was a landmark verdict, which finally paved a way out of refugee life for many.
A global crisis
The refugee crisis is now seen the world over and it is fast becoming a pressing issue.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there were an estimated 82.4 million forcibly displaced people worldwide by the end of 2020.
This includes refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.
The numbers are staggering, emphasising the need for global attention, compassion, and action.
For Bangladesh, the refugee crisis is interwoven into the fabric of the nation.
From 2018, the Rohingya people fled from Myanmar amidst a military crackdown, and landed on the shores of Bangladesh.
According to the latest statistics, the UNHCR dictates that 925,380 refugees now live in camps dedicated to them in Kutupalong, Nayapara, Bhashanchar, and other camps alike.
This number is greater than those recorded previously, owing to the identification of 35,000 more refugees.
The significance of International Refugee Day
Against this backdrop, the World Refugee Day serves multiple purposes.
Mostly, it aims to raise awareness about the plight of refugees, fostering empathy and understanding among individuals and communities.
It encourages people to learn about the challenges faced by refugees, including the loss of homes, separation from loved ones, and the struggle to rebuild their lives. This day celebrates the strength, resilience, and contributions of refugees.
It highlights their stories of overcoming adversity, rebuilding their lives, and making positive impacts in their new communities.
Refugees possess skills, talents, and aspirations that, when nurtured and supported, can contribute significantly to the societies that welcome them.
The World Refugee Day prompts governments, organisations, and individuals to take action in supporting and protecting refugees.
It urges the international community to address the root causes of displacement, provide humanitarian aid, and work towards finding durable solutions for refugees, including voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement.
On this International Refugee Day, it is crucial to focus on empowering refugees and ensuring their inclusion in society.
Empowerment can be achieved through various means, such as access to education, employment opportunities, healthcare, legal protection, and psychosocial support.
Moreover, fostering inclusivity is essential.
It involves creating environments that embrace diversity, respect human rights, and offer equal opportunities to all individuals, regardless of their background. It means challenging stereotypes, combating discrimination, and advocating for policies that protect and support refugees.
Amena Khatun was rendered a refugee in her childhood. Then she was a domicile. After 1971, she was stateless.
In 2008, she became a citizen again.
Her journey was a tapestry of "otherisation", yet she persevered in a brand new country with different people, language, culture.
While she lived most of her life in the refugee camp, she died in Dhaka as a Bangladeshi citizen. This identity was momentous for her, a fact often missed by those who have never had a crisis in knowing which their home was.
As we revisit different statistics on the matter, let us remember that behind the numbers are real people with hopes, dreams, and aspirations, and by joining hands, we can make a positive difference in their lives and ours.
Khalid Hussain is the chief executive of the Council of Minorities. He can be reached at [email protected]
