findings iV: impact of movement restrictions 65 These restrictions have reportedly increased since arriving in Bangladesh after the clearance operations. In the beginning, they could admit their children to madrassas to practise memorising the Quran (known as hafiz), but now group religious discussions (known as Tabligh) are not allowed. Furthermore, pursuing the full extent of their religious practice by gathering at the camp mosques has been perceived by authorities as posing a risk of increased violence and extremism among Rohingya living in the camps. Respondents emphasised that the inability to fully practise their religion has also had social and cultural impacts, as religion facilitates community building, and provides spaces for communal gathering, socialisation, and education. “If we were allowed to form a cohesive society and build a mosque to perform salat (prayers) and worship, we could have better relationships with one another,” said Farid, a 52-year-old Rohingya man. “But due to these restrictions, we aren’t allowed to keep those relationships among us. Since we don’t have a mosque in our block, our relationships are getting weaker.” 118 With these restrictions on gathering and practising, the community is forced to compromise its religious obligations, and is left with one less opportunity for social cohesion. Furthermore, restrictions on movement have prevented Rohingya from holding or attending other important cultural community events, such as weddings and funerals, due to difficulties caused by checkpoints and not being allowed to gather in groups. The restrictions related to weddings were particularly emphasised as a source of distress. Respondents reported that permission from the CIC is required for marriages to take place, and that these permissions often require the payment of large sums of money “The CIC doesn’t give permission without pay. It takes about three years to get permission without money. As long as they don’t give us the permission documents, we can’t get married.” that are inaccessible for the majority of Rohingya. If these bribes aren’t paid, couples may wait for months or years to receive permission, sometimes never receiving it at all. “When we have to arrange a girl’s marriage, we have to get the permission of the CIC,” said Dilshad, a 37year old Rohingya woman. “The CIC doesn’t give permission without pay. It takes about three years to get permission without money. As long as they don’t give us the permission documents, we can’t get married.” 119 In order to circumvent this system, couples are often secretly married without permission from the CIC. This can lead to harmful repercussions upon discovery by camp authorities, such as being forcibly relocated to Bhasan Char Island Camp. 118 119 Interview C19M Interview C03F