Several international Islamic NGOs from Turkey, Pakistan, and the Middle East have reportedly established operational bases in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar — home to the world's largest Rohingya refugee settlement — allegedly using humanitarian work as cover to spread extremist ideology, according to a report published by Bangladeshi newspaper Sonar Bangla on 10 June.

Key Allegations in the Report

The report claims that these organisations, operating both independently and through local NGO partners, have effectively turned the Cox's Bazar–Bandarban corridor into what sources described as their “independent territory.” According to the report, the activities of these groups intensified significantly over the past two years, following a period of relative restraint during the previous Awami League government.

“The Rohingya have long been used as pawns in local and international politics, and extremist Islamic organisations are taking advantage of this,” the report stated. “During the previous Awami League government, these NGOs worked with some restraint, but in the last two years, they have gained momentum.”

Alleged State-Level Involvement

The report goes further, alleging that senior military intelligence officials from Pakistan and Turkey conducted on-site surveys in the region during the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration. It claims that multiple international actors are reportedly working on strategic blueprints centred on the Cox's Bazar region.

Notably, the report alleges that both the Yunus interim regime and the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government led by Tarique Rahman are said to be following the same course. It also claims that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman “believes that by signing a military assistance agreement with Turkey, Bangladesh's military power against India can be greatly increased.” These are serious allegations attributed to the Sonar Bangla report and have not been independently verified.

Named Organisations Under Scrutiny

The report specifically names several NGOs allegedly involved in what it terms “malicious activities” in the camps. These include Shura, Iqra, Asiyab, Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid, Mercy Malaysia, SKB (Small Kindness of Bangladesh), Allama Faizullah Foundation, and Pulse Bangladesh.

Among these, SKB is identified as one of the most active organisations within the Rohingya camps. The report alleges that many of its members are current and former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, and that its leadership is currently held by a former Shibir leader from Chittagong.

Banned NGOs Reportedly Resumed Operations

The report highlights that during the Awami League administration, 41 organisations were banned by the NGO Bureau on the recommendations of multiple intelligence agencies. However, it alleges that these same banned NGOs resumed operations under the subsequent Yunus government.

Hamidul Haque Chowdhury, chairman of the Rohingya Repatriation Struggle Committee, was quoted as saying that the “nefarious activities and covert activities” of domestic and foreign NGOs have raised serious concerns, and called for stricter monitoring and regulation.

The Repatriation Angle

Sources cited in the report also raised a structural concern: that some NGOs have a financial incentive to prolong the refugee crisis. “NGOs do not want them to return to their homeland. Even UNHCR has this complaint all the time. Because if the Rohingyas leave, their business will stop,” the report noted, attributing the remarks to local sources.

Journalists from Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, speaking on condition of anonymity, reportedly warned that the growing Rohingya presence has made local Bangladeshis a minority in at least two Cox's Bazar upazilas. As the geopolitical dimensions of the Rohingya crisis deepen, calls for greater regulatory oversight of foreign-funded NGOs operating in the region are expected to grow louder.