Dr Chris James

As America and Israel continue their attacks on innocent people, this seemed like an appropriate picture to post.

A four years old Rohingya Child was abducted on last Friday (20th June 2025) from Leda Camp 24 .The abductors demanded one Lakh ransom from the parents for his release.  Unfortunately the parents couldn’t manage the money so afterwards they murdered the innocent Child and his dead was thrown beside the roadside of his area . According to source, his dead body was found today.I wanna say one thing to the guardians of children in Camp , please kindly keep your children around your eyes and aware them not to go far from own areas with strangers to visit and plays . Copied from Facebook 23rd June 2025.

World Refugee Day Observation – 20 June 2025.

On this World Refugee Day, 20 June 2025, the plight of the Rohingya people remains one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time. For over
three decades, registered Rohingya refugees have endured statelessness,
systemic discrimination and forced displacement. Since 1991–92, they have
faced indescribable hardships. The crisis deepened further after the 2017
military crackdown in Myanmar, which forced more than a million Rohingya to
seek refuge in Bangladesh—primarily in the overcrowded camps of Cox’s
Bazar.
Enduring Hardships in Refugee Camps
Life in the camps is marked by multiple severe challenges:
• Food Insecurity:
Due to recent funding shortfalls, the UN World Food Programme now provides
monthly food rations of only $12.50 per person—equivalent to around 1,400 to
1,500 Bangladeshi Taka. This tiny amount is insufficient to sustain an
individual for an entire month, leading to worsening malnutrition in the world’s
largest refugee settlement.
• Healthcare Deficiencies:
Medical services remain inadequate. Many refugees lack access to essential
treatment. The reduction in aid has further strained healthcare facilities,
putting vulnerable populations—especially the elderly—at grave risk. Sadly,
some refugees die from chronic and critical illnesses or diseases due to lack
of timely care and adequately.
• Educational Barriers:
Access to formal, accredited education remains absent. While NGOs and
INGOs operate some learning centers, these facilities often lack resources
and trained educators. As a result, the educational development of Rohingya
children remains severely stunted. The formal education is a burning question
in the camps nowadays. It’s too late. Offer formal education to Refugees kids
who are passing lazy times with mobile phones and committing unnecessary
tasks and involve in crimes around.
Ongoing Persecution in Myanmar
The conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State continue to deteriorate:
• Arakan Army Atrocities:
The Arakan Army (AA) has been accused of committing grave human rights
abuses against the Rohingya, including extortion, arbitrary detention, and
violent attacks. Reports have emerged of Rohingya civilians being killed and
forcibly displaced, worsening the already dire situation. And still continues.
• Forced Displacements:
Military operations have led to the destruction of villages, further
displacement, and mass exoduses. Thousands have fled to neighboring
countries or embarked on dangerous sea journeys to places like Thailand,
Malaysia, and Indonesia in search of safety and security of better lives.
Calls for Justice and Repatriation
The Rohingya community continues to advocate for:
• Safe and Dignified Repatriation:
A return to their homeland with full rights, safety, and recognized citizenship.
• Accountability:
International legal action against those responsible for crimes against
humanity, war crimes including Myanmar’s military leaders.
• Inclusive Governance:
Recognition of the Rohingya as equal stakeholders in Rakhine State, with a
voice in political processes and future governance. It’s ever lasting process of
durable solution which is lies in the shared shoulder of Myanmar.
International Response and Solidarity
Global leaders and humanitarian organizations have voiced concern:
• UN Involvement:
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for increased humanitarian
aid and sustained dialogue with all parties to ensure the protection of
Rohingya rights.
• Humanitarian Appeals:
There is a growing call for renewed international support to bridge funding
gaps that threaten essential services in the refugee camps.
On this World Refugee Day, the international community must reaffirm its
commitment to the Rohingya people. Their rights must be respected, their
voices heard, and their suffering acknowledged. Only through justice,
inclusion, and sustained global solidarity can we hope to achieve lasting
peace, security and regional stability at large.
The writer is Md. Rahim Ullah
LL.B (Hons) & LL.M
International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC)
You can reach @ rahimiiuc2014@yahoo.com

Students from Dhaka University’s Department of Law and International Relations visited the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, after completing the certificate course on Refugee Law and International Protection facilitated by UNHCR Bangladesh.

They met with Rohingya students and discussed about their educational experiences, before visiting a community-based protection hubs where they learned how legal aid and refugee paralegals support access to justice.

They also joined discussions with legal and community groups to understand grassroots protection activities and community engagement.

The programme also included meeting with refugee women and youths taking part in skills development activities, such as production of reusable sanitary napkins for humanitarian assistance, mechanic or repair of solar panels.

United Nations in Bangladesh

Rohingya Response ISCG Cox’s Bazar

Copied from Facebook.

 Nsrs Rohimullah is with   Craig Foster.

I’m S RH Shofique, a young Rohingya  activist committed to raising awareness about the struggles, rights, and voices of the Rohingya people. I am part of  a new generation of leaders  who strive for justice, dignity, and peace for our community. I was born in Rakhine State, Myanmar, but I was forced to flee my homeland due to persecution. I’ve spent most of my life in the world’s largest Refugee Camps-Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.

The Rohingya Crisis:

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh face serious challenges, including overcrowding, lack of basic services, health risks, and limited access to education and livelihood opportunities. These difficulties are worsened by the fragile state of shelters, especially during the monsoon season.  Added to this, there has been a rise in violence and insecurity within the camps in recent times.  The forced displacement of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh  presents urgent humanitarian issues that demand a multifaceted solution. At the core of the crisis lies the Rohingya’s statelessness and persecution in Myanmar, which has led to large-scale displacement and immense suffering. The solution must prioritize the Rohingya’s rights, dignity, and safety, including voluntary, and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.   The root cause of the crisis must be addressed. The Rohingya crisis is deeply complex. The humanitarian emergency is rooted in a long history of discrimination and fueled by ongoing human rights violations. Addressing this crisis requires tackling the root causes of the statelessness and marginalization. The Rohingya  are not recognized as citizens of Myanmar so their ability to rebuild their lives with dignity and security doesn’t exist. The statelessness of the Rohingya is a central issue in their ongoing crisis.

It is crucial to empower the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh through education, vocational training, and livelihood opportunities. This reduces their dependence on aid and prepares them for a safe return in the future. The Rohingya are a predominantly a Muslim ethnic minority who have lived in Myanmar for hundreds of years. They have been denied citizenship in Myanmar, making them stateless and leading to systemic discrimination and persecution.

Strengthen Protection and Resilience: The refugee camps in Bangladesh face numerous security threats, including violence between groups and the risk of exploitation and trafficking. There is an urgent need to strengthen the protection and resilience of Rohingya refugees, especially for women, children, and vulnerable individuals, by addressing gender-based violence, exploitation and ensuring child protection. Refugees also face limited opportunities to earn a living, contributing to food insecurity and financial instability.

My activism is not just about survival- it’s about building a future where Rohingya youth are empowered, educated, and equipped to shape their own destinies. I work to amplify the voices of the unheard, to bring global attention to the plight of the Rohingya people, and to ensure that our generation is not lost to the shadows of injustice.

Ashes in the Wind: How Fire Is Quietly Consuming the Lives of Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

By Anower Solim | Photograph by Anower Solim.

In the winding alleys of the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the word home carries no warmth. It’s not a place of comfort but a fragile structure of bamboo, tarpaulin, and constant fear. Here, fire doesn’t just destroy shelters. It devours childhoods, memories and the last threads of dignity.

In recent years, Camps 1, 5 and 8 have been engulfed by recurring fires, each blaze more brutal than the last. The ashes they leave behind are not just remnants of structures, but the quiet burial of dreams never allowed to take shape.

Aftermath in Ashes – Sunset Over Camp 1.
As the sun dips low behind the hills of Camp 1, its golden light brushes over the blackened earth. Silhouettes of survivors move slowly through the wreckage, some searching for belongings, others just standing still stunned by the silence that follows a fire.

Women Salvaging Burnt Rice.
In a corner of what used to be a kitchen, women kneel in the ashes, their fingers slowly sifting through burnt rice. Their eyes tired but steady, speak of a pain too familiar. These images are not just of grief, but of survival, steeped in quiet resilience.

Children’s classrooms were reduced to smoke and rubble. The few books that survived were half-burnt and unreadable. Yet, within hours, Rohingya youth volunteers and emergency workers were already helping the wounded, distributing plastic sheets, and organizing shelters from nothing.

Camp 1: A Fire on a Day of Peace (December 25, 2024).

It was Christmas Day, a holiday for many, a day of rest for some,  but peace didn’t last long. A sudden stove explosion around noon triggered a firestorm in Camp 1 that claimed two lives, injured several others, and destroyed over 500 homes.

Mass Displacement After Fire.
Thousands stood under a harsh winter sun, clutching pots, buckets, and rolled-up mats, the only items they could carry before the fire consumed everything else. Their eyes, wide with disbelief, turned empty fields into emergency homes.

This wasn’t the first time a fire had caused damage, and they feared it wouldn’t be the last.

Camp 5: A Winter Morning Torn Apart (January 7, 2024).

It began before dawn on a cold January morning when most were still wrapped in blankets, whispering morning prayers or lost in sleep. Within minutes, flames tore through the narrow paths of Camp 5, fueled by dry tarpaulin, gusts of wind, and helplessness. Nearly 1,000 shelters turned to soot. More than 5,000 lives were displaced in one cruel sweep.

Camp 8: The Fire the Camp Will Never Forget (March 22, 2021)

The 2021 blaze in Camp 8 was apocalyptic in scale. It swept through entire blocks, jumping over narrow lanes like a beast with no end in sight. By the time the last flames were put out, 17,000 shelters were gone. Nearly 50,000 people had lost their homes. Fifteen lives were confirmed lost. Four hundred were never found.

It was a catastrophe that made global headlines for a moment, but not enough to change the future. Humanitarian groups called it a camp-wide emergency. Survivors called it another beginning from zero.

To this day, many still sleep in makeshift shelters, their previous lives buried beneath unmarked ashes.

A Crisis Repeating Itself

These fires are not random accidents. From 2021 to 2022 alone, more than 200 separate fire incidents were recorded across the camps. In many cases, suspicions of arson lingered, but rarely were investigations followed through. Overcrowded shelters, cooking in unsafe conditions, flammable construction materials and a severe lack of firefighting resources have created a tinderbox waiting to ignite.

What’s most heartbreaking is the sheer predictability of it all. Everyone knows it will happen again. And yet, the world watches in silence.

Hope Among Ruins

Walk through the aftermath of any fire in the camps and you’ll find more than ruins. You’ll find people rebuilding. Children drawing letters on the ground where classrooms once stood. Men collecting bent tin sheets to reshape. Women sharing what little food remains with others who lost more.

There is sorrow in every corner, but also a quiet defiance. The Rohingya are not only survivors of fire, but they are also the survivors of abandonment, of erasure and of silence. And still, they rise up brave and confident.

Conclusion:  We Burn and Still the World Is Silent.

Each time the flames return, the Rohingya are reminded that they are still stateless, still unwanted, still unseen and unheard. Fires don’t just consume shelters. They consume the illusion that someone, somewhere, might intervene.

These fires speak for the forgotten. They cry out for justice, for protection, for dignity. But, more often than not, their voices are lost in the smoke.

Before the next fire writes another tragedy, it’s time for the international community to stop offering condolences and start offering action. The Rohingya don’t need more sympathy. They need safety. The need help.

Author’s Note: I am Anower Solim.

This piece of writing is not just a collection of facts, it is a reflection of my lived experience. As a Rohingya youth born stateless and raised inside the world’s largest refugee camp, I write with the hope that my story and the stories of my people will not be forgotten. This is a window into the daily survival we endure in Cox’s Bazar. I invite you to read with empathy and I ask you to listen with heart.

Trapped in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp: A Rohingya Boy’s Account of Daily Survival in Cox’s Bazar
By Anower Solim

I still remember the day we crossed the border into Bangladesh. The sun was hot, the earth beneath my feet felt foreign and my heart carried a heaviness I didn’t yet know how to name. It was 2017. Violence had chased my family and I from our village in Maungdaw township, Rakhine State, Myanmar and like over a million others, we found ourselves in Cox’s Bazar. This sprawling refugee camp has since become our reluctant home, a place where life feels more suspended than safe.

A Shelter but Never a Home.

In the camps, our lives are boxed into limits. Quite literally. Each family is allotted a bamboo-and-tarp shelter measuring only 9 by 12 feet regardless of how many people live inside. Families grow but shelters don’t. Nights are sleepless, privacy is nonexistent and the air inside often feels too thick to breathe.

We are fenced in with barbed wire and denied the right to move freely. Stepping outside the camp requires permission we rarely receive. Higher education remains a dream, not a right. The camp may offer temporary safety but it does so at the cost of liberty, growth and dignity.

When Hunger Becomes the Norm.

Every month, we receive food aid from the World Food Programme. It’s barely enough. In fact, due to funding shortages, rations have dropped to the equivalent of just $6 per person per month. Imagine trying to feed an entire family with that.

Some families manage to scrape together a little extra by working for NGOs or running tiny shops in the camp’s makeshift markets. But for many, that’s not an option. Desperation pushes people toward darker paths selling drugs, gambling even becoming involved in human trafficking. Not because they want to but because poverty and hopelessness leave them with no other choices.

Living Without the Basics.

Sanitation is a daily battle. On average, one latrine is shared by around 37 people and sometimes more. Water isn’t always clean or accessible and healthcare is underfunded and overwhelmed. I have seen pregnant women give birth in overcrowded clinics or worse on the floors of their shelters. Disease spreads quickly when hygiene breaks down and many suffer in silence.

Recently, several health facilities shut down due to aid cuts. This has left thousands, especially the elderly and chronically ill without even the most basic medical support. If you fall seriously ill in the camp, your options are heartbreakingly few.

The Rise of Desperation.

Without legal status or work permits, Rohingya men and women are effectively locked out of formal employment. Over time, this has fostered an underground economy, one riddled with crime and risk. From 2017 to 2022, it has been estimated that more than 2,400 crimes were recorded in the camps with over 1,600 related to drugs.

These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a larger truth: when you deny people access to safety, purpose and opportunity, some will turn to whatever means they can to survive. Gangs take root. Arms and narcotics pass through like whispers. And all the while, the majority of us who long only for peace live in fear and under suspicion.

Growing Families, Shrinking Space.

As families expand, space does not. Children are born into cramped shelters and nothing changes to accommodate them. There is no room to grow physically, emotionally or intellectually. The result is a suffocating sense of stagnation. You exist but you don’t truly live.

I know families where four generations share one shelter. Teenage girls without privacy. Elders with no rest. Babies who wake not from hunger but from the sounds of the night: the wind against the tarp, the arguments next door, the echoes of hopelessness.

Where Light Still Breaks Through.

And yet, somehow, we hold on.

Community members volunteer to teach younger children. Women form support groups. Some youths like me have been lucky enough to complete education programs run by Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) University or other NGOs. I have completed Class 12 from Community School and graduated Refugee Higher Education Access Program-RhEAP from BRAC University’s Center for Peace and Justice, a program I will always be grateful for.

These may seem like small victories to the outside world but here, they are lifelines.

What Needs to Change.

To break this cycle of survival without hope, we must take bold and urgent action:  We must

1. Ensure consistent humanitarian aid especially for food, water and medical care.
2. Grant access to legal employment so families can become self-reliant.
3. Allow movement outside the camp for education, work and dignity.
4. Strengthen community safety by addressing root causes of crime and trafficking.
5. Expand educational opportunities beyond basic literacy and offer real futures.

Not Just Statistics.

Too often, refugees are reduced to numbers in media reports. But behind each number is a face, a name, a story. I am Anower Solim. I was born in Myanmar. I am a son, a student, a youth leader. And I am not invisible.

This is not just my story, it’s the story of every Rohingya mother trying to cook dinner on an empty stove, every father who wakes up wondering how to feed his children, every youth dreaming of a classroom he is not allowed to enter.

We are here. We are surviving. But we are also dreaming, hoping and fighting for the right to live full lives again.

Anower Solim is a Rohingya youths leader, writer, poet and documentary photographer based in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp, Bangladesh. He is the Co-founder and President of the Rohingya Empowerment Network (REN) and serves as a Teaching Assistant at the Center for Peace and Justice, BRAC University. Anower is also a contributor to Rohingyatographer Magazine where he shares visual and written stories from within his community. His work is grounded in advocacy, storytelling and education, driven by a belief that the Rohingya people deserve dignity, justice and a future beyond survival.

Ro Anis Hla Myint is with UNICEF Bangladesh and

2 others

at Cox’s Bazar- The Worlds Largest Refugee Camp.

I visited a learning centre in the Rohingya refugee camps today. Even with all the struggles these children face, one quiet moment stayed with me.

A group of children sat together, looking up at the sky through the open roof. They were calm and deep in thought. You could see the pain in their eyes—the stress, the hardship. But in that quiet moment, they were thinking deeply.

Their teacher told me they weren’t just watching the clouds. They were thinking about life skills—how to heal, how to cope, how to build a better future. Skills for peace, for understanding, and for living in a world that has not been kind to them.

That simple act of looking at the sky showed something powerful—their strength. Even after everything, they still want to learn, grow, and dream of a better life outside the camp.

It reminded me how important safe spaces are for learning, healing, and simply being.

These children carry so much pain, but they still look up. They still hope. They still want to learn.