The Rohingya refugee crisis remains one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of this time, with close to a million Rohingya refugees hosted by Bangladesh, a south-Asian least developed country that is a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Bangladesh’s status, being a non-signatory to the Refugee Convention and its Protocol, has raised critical questions about its legal responsibilities toward protecting the rights of refugees inside its territory. This thesis investigates how Bangladesh’s non-party status affects its obligations to safeguard the human rights of those Rohingya refugees and explores the feasibility of developing a national legal framework for their protection and wellbeing. Through an in-depth analysis, this study also examines the interplay between international human rights norms, domestic legal frameworks, and the lived experiences of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Through rigorous and systematic analysis, this thesis is structured like a stage where the relevance and importance of the study to the humanitarian field have clearly been exhibited. Besides the identification of the limitations of the research, this thesis also provides clear definitions and interpretations of the key theories and concepts used to ensure clarity and consistency throughout the study. Furthermore, by providing the historical background of the Rohingya refugees and the refugee hosting norms of Bangladesh the thesis has successfully shown the patterns and challenges as well as the probability of ensuring the protection of those Rohingya refugees.

This thesis synthesizes previous research and identifies various gaps that are hindering the refugee protection system and policies in Bangladesh. This research examines the rights of refugees in Bangladesh by analyzing the legal framework from multiple angles, including international conventions, customary international law, national statutory laws of Bangladesh as well as case laws. It also evaluates Bangladesh’s stand towards international law and principles, such as non-refoulment, and highlights the limitations arising from its non-party status to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. This study has also analyzed the country’s broader humanitarian crisis arising out of its unsatisfactory refugee management system and policies. After analyzing and assessing all the evidence as well as the socio-political context of Bangladesh, this thesis argues for the necessity of a specific national legal framework to protect the rights of those Rohingya refugees. After summarizing all the key findings and providing actionable recommendations for policymakers and future researchers, this research also contributes to the academic discourse on refugee law and offers practical insights for addressing one of the world’s most significant humanitarian challenges. By analyzing the legal, institutional, and social dimensions of refugee protection in Bangladesh, this thesis seeks to provide a roadmap for more effective and humane refugee protection policies.