Safety and security in the South-East border area of Bangladesh

A public perceptions survey

The South-East border area of Bangladesh is an area of great national significance but also of particular vulnerability to insecurity. A combination of internal and external threats has created a volatile atmosphere. Domestic concerns arise from socio-economic problems and criminal threats, including money laundering; external concerns arise from criminal activities around arms, narcotics, and human trafficking and armed robbery against ships, with the influx of refugees from Myanmar adding to an already unstable environment. Despite these factors, there have not been any comprehensive studies on the perception of the people about the safety and security situation in the region.

This report by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Mitra and Associates, and Saferworld seeks to address that gap by researching and analysing the perception of safety and security in the South-East border area of Bangladesh. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research, including a household survey of 2,500 people, 16 focus group discussions, and 28 key informant interviews, this survey and its recommendations hopes to help identify both the security concerns of the local people and possible solutions to address them.

The report outlines the general perceptions of safety and security and law enforcement agencies, as well as focusing on the specific concerns with trafficking and armed violence in the South-East border area.  The report then goes on to make several recommendations, particularly on how to improve the relations between the communities and law enforcement agencies to allow them to work together to identify and address the safety and security priorities of the communities.