India, Oct. 17 -- The Rohingya crisis is no longer just a story about refugee camps. It is a border and security issue for the whole region. What happens in Cox's Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char affects towns and villages across the India-Bangladesh frontier. Short funds, crowded shelters and rising crime make the situation fragile. When the camps are under stress, the pressure spills over into India's Northeast. That is why calm in Bangladesh's southeast matters far beyond the camps.

Bangladesh hosts more than a million Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar. Most live in the vast camps of Cox's Bazar. Tens of thousands have been moved to Bhasan Char to reduce congestion. The most recent UN planning documents say aid agencies need...