For many children in the Rohingya community, aiming at birds is both a game and a quiet passion. Arakan was once full of blessings and its skies alive with countless birds whose sweet songs filled the air and brought joy to the land.
Abu Kalam, a twelve-year-old boy, is the son of Abu Siddek and a student of Life Destination High School, living in Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. Even in a place where animals and birds are now rare, Kalam finds happiness holding a simple slingshot in his hand, pretending to shoot at birds as children once did back home.
Seeing the slingshot in Kalam’s hands pulls me into a deep flashback of Arakan. I remember our student days clearly. We used to gather together, imitating hunters, and travel toward the mountains. Each of us carried a slingshot, our hearts filled with excitement as we aimed at birds under the open sky.
Those were magnificent days. Rohingya youths would go on picnics, sharing food, laughter, and stories after hunting birds. The simple slingshot brought us joy, peace, and unity, strengthening our bonds with one another and with nature.
Though Abu Kalam is still young, he carries within him the memories of a life he barely lived. Through his innocent play, he revives the lost traditions and simple joys of Rohingya life in Arakan, memories that refuse to fade, even in exile.
A devastating fire accident occurred last night in Block D, causing severe loss to families and community facilities. The incident has left the community in deep shock and sorrow.
A total of 448 families were affected across different areas:
Block D-04: 140 families Total affected families: 448
The fire also damaged important community institutions, including 02 mosques, 01 maktab, and 10 schools, seriously affecting religious activities and children’s education.
Many families lost their shelters and basic belongings. Immediate humanitarian support is urgently needed to address this critical situation.
We respectfully request timely assistance and cooperation to support the affected families.
Every winter, the fear of fire devastations haunts the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. On 28 December 2025, at around 10:00 p.m., a massive fire broke out in Camp-24, Leda, burning down more than 100 shelters.
Rohingya Refugee camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh is a place that lacks access formal educational system for the students since 2017.
From the early of this year, 2025, some of scholars who were once teachers in Myanmar, taking a new innovation of creating a civil Organization so called Examination Board of Rohingya Refugee ( EBRR) which first introduced a Mid-Term exam in all over the 70 camp based community schools.
After the results of this exam, Syedul Amin, one of Life Destination High School‘s grade-9 students is being appeared like a star in the sky with brightness color of total 517 marks in 600. This milestone empowered him and thousands of Rohingya students to carry out thier dedication and hard work in study.
Our teachers and his parents are very much appreciated over this achievement of top number 1 among the thousands of students.
Mohammed Salim, a Grade-11 student of our Life Destination High School , Camp 6, secured third place in the essay writing competition organized by the Rohingya Human Rights Network as part of the 16 Days of Activism. We are proud of his achievement and appreciate the continued dedication of our teachers who guide and support our learners.
Salim is one of the most talented students through the whole Rohingya Refugee Camp, Bangladesh. If Refugee students like Salim would have the opportunity of higher studies, they would definitely secure the global standard achievements like engineers, MBBS, Pilot, Lawyer, Astronomy, scientist and so on. We are greatly in hope of getting opportunity in their future.
Our Mid-Term Examination Hall in different centres. Thank you every student for your punctual attendance.
Exam Hall-1, our primary level with over 250 studentsExam Hall-2, our middle level with over 100 studentsExam Hall-3, our middle and high level with 70 studentsExam Hall-4, our high level with 50 students Exam Hall-5, our middle and primary level with 60 studentsExam Hall-6, our primary and middle level with 90 studentsExam Hall at Camp-based Exam Board, our Grade-12 with 15 students
Note:
Our Grade-1 has 110 students but they are invisible in the Exam hall because their Examination is being conducted orally.
The total students of Life Destination High School, Kutupang Refugee Camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh is 745 plus.
Hakmat Ullah received his award during ceremony at Life Destination High School.
My name is Hakmot Ullah, and I am an 18 years old, the youngest of nine siblings. Today, I study in Grade 12 at Life Destination Community High School in Bangladesh, but my journey began in Myo Thu Gyi village, Maung Daw Township, Arakan State, Myanmar.
Early Life and Education
My father was a respected farmer and cattle trader, while my mother devoted herself to raising us with love and wisdom.
I began my schooling at Myo Thu Gyi Primary School, but everything changed in 2017 when brutal military attacks forced us to flee. Overnight, I went from being a student to becoming a refugee.
Education in Refugee camp
Life in Refugee camp has not been easy, but education gave me strength and purpose. With the help of dedicated teachers like Mr. Jubair and Mr. Rushan Ali, I continued my studies inside Camp-6, Kutupalong. Later, I joined Life Destination High School and Mercy Refugee House, where I found hope again through learning.
My love for Chemistry, Biology, and Physics keeps me motivated. Through determination and hard work, I earned top positions in school, including:
2nd place in Grade 7 (2021)
1st place in Grade 8 (2022)
1st place in Grade 10 (2023)
1st place in Grade 11 (2024)
These achievements are not only mine and represent the strength of every Rohingya student who combat the hunger of education.
Tragic Event in Myanmar
I will never forget the tragedies I witnessed in Myanmar. On 9th October 2016, armed forces attacked our village, killing more than 15 innocent people. Then on 25th August 2017, the genocide forced thousands, including my family, to escape. Many lives were lost, but we survived and my voice never be broken.
Hope for the Future
For Rohingya youth, higher education often feels unreachable. But I refuse to stop trying. My dream is to continue my studies, become a voice for justice, and inspire my community to rise above despair.
” Education is my torch of hope. From the ashes of suffering, I believe a brighter tomorrow can be born.”
“Hakmot Ullah, a dedicated Grade 12 student at Life Destination High School, began his academic writing journey in the classroom, transforming lessons into a path of hope and achievement. This is an original piece of his autobiography life, he himself wrote it to inspire others and deal with his hope of education.”
Name: Robi Alam Date of Birth: 01 August 2003 Place of Birth: Dabinshara Village, Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, Myanmar Religion: Islam
Early Life and Family
My name is Robi Alam. My father’s name is Noor Alam, and my mother’s name is Lalu. I was born into a humble and soft-spoken family in the northern part of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, Myanmar. I am the eldest among ten siblings.
My father was a team leader of workers and also managed a small shop in our village, while my mother was a housewife. My childhood was simple. I enjoyed playing different games with my friends, especially football, which remains my favorite.
Education and Refugee Life
I began my education at the kindergarten primary school in my village. I was always curious, disciplined, and eager to learn new things. However, my life changed drastically in 2017, when violence against the Rohingya community forced my family to flee Myanmar and take refuge in Bangladesh.
When we first arrived in Bangladesh, a kind man welcomed us with food. That was the moment I realized I had become a “refugee.” Despite this painful reality, I did not lose hope.
In the refugee camp, I continued my studies. From Grade 1 to 5, I studied under Mr. Md Shomin, who also taught me Rohingya language and culture. In 2019, I enrolled at Life Destination High School, where I am now studying in Class 10 with honesty and dedication.
Career and Achievements
Alongside my studies, I pursued opportunities to build my skills. I applied to an INGO called FIVDB and, after an interview, was selected as a teacher. This experience allowed me to contribute to my community by teaching younger children.
In 2022, I participated in a competition organized by CODEC INGO, where I proudly achieved first position among all schools in Camp 06.
Challenges and Struggles
My journey has been marked by great hardship. As a Rohingya, I have faced persecution and discrimination in Myanmar.
On 10 October 2016, while I was in school, the military suddenly arrived and forced us out. Soon after, they burned houses in a nearby village (ဘုန်းတော်ပြင်) and killed many innocent people.
On 25 August 2017, the genocide against my people escalated. Soldiers began killing, raping, and burning houses. I remember a man in my village who was beaten simply for going out to catch fish after 9:00 pm. Terrified, my family and I searched for safety but found none, and finally, with tears and fear, we fled across the border into Bangladesh.
Hope
Today, I live in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh. Despite the challenges, I remain determined to pursue higher education and to work for a brighter future. My dream is to inspire other Rohingya students never to give up, no matter how difficult life becomes.
Education is my path to freedom, dignity, and hope. I believe it is not just for me, but for all. I will continue to strive with honesty, discipline, and faith to make a positive impact on the world.
Robi Alam, a Grade-10 student from Life Destination High School, begins to write his autobiography and others related true stories after gaining a productive training called “Beginners Writing’s Workshop.”
Photo captured by Ayub Khan Dkl during Rohingya young students are demanding the protection from the international bodies
The denial of the Myanmar government has left the Rohingya people deeply concerned as they mark the 8th anniversary of the 2017 atrocities, still holding on to the hope of a dignified return to their ancestral homeland.
Since the country’s independence in 1948, the Myanmar government has systematically excluded the Rohingya from their ancestral lands, stripping them of rights and recognition. Over decades of gradual persecution and orchestrated violence, more than one million innocent Rohingya civilians were forced to flee into neighboring Bangladesh. How can a person survive without land, peace, and dignity? For the Rohingya, 25 August 2017 stands as a dark milestone, the day everything they owned and cherished was destroyed.
Despite living in disorderly, overcrowded refugee camps made of mud and tarpaulin shelters in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the Rohingya community has not remained silent. They continue to raise their voicesfor justice and equal rights that were unjustly stolen by Myanmar Government.
“We will never stop raising our voices until our rights are restored,” said Sarwah Shah, 22, a Rohingya youth. “We will never let the Myanmar government or the Arakan Army take advantage of our people and our motherland, Arakan State.”
Eight years have passed, yet the international community has failed to bring justice. Mohammed Ayub, 32, a Rohingya activist, reflected:
“Behind every 25 August lies a drop of tears and heartbreak. It reminds us of our sisters being raped, our children thrown into fire, and our homes burnt by the Myanmar military.”
Photo captured by Ayub Khan Dkl, showing Rohingya survivors in tears as they prayed on stage during the 8th Anniversary of Rohingya Genocide Rememberance Day
Ayub also added that to delay justice is not only to ignore genocide but also to silently support the perpetrators in their crimes.
At the same time, the Arakan Army (AA), a Rakhine rebel group has become another source of suffering for the Rohingya, falling like a sudden stone from the sky. While their stated aim is to challenge the Myanmar military, their violence has heavily targeted on innocent Rohingya civilians. Torture, rape, killings, looting, and land seizures have become widespread.
Anuwar Faisal, a private teacher who fled to Bangladesh in 2024, described that the year ” 2024 ” is the worst period in recent memory of Arakan State.
“The Arakan Army conscripted our youths to use them as human shields on the frontlines. They killed more than 5,000 civilians with drone attacks. It was unforgettable.”
For decades, Rohingya Muslims have been denied citizenship by the Myanmar government, effectively confering them stateless. The continued delay in addressing this crisis by the international community only strengthens the hands of the perpetrators and deepens the suffering of the victims.
The Rohingya community urges that silence is no longer an option. The international community must act decisively to end impunity, restore rights, and ensure a just and dignified return for one of the world’s most persecuted peoples like Rohingya.
My name is Muhammad Salim, son of Jahid Hussain and Rajuma Khatun and I am an 18 years old. According to the UNHCR Data based record, there are 12 members in my family. I am the youngest one. I grew up in the Laung Dong Kyung Gaung village ( လောင်းဒုံးကျွန်းဂေါင်းရွာ ), in the northern part of Maung Daw township, Arakan state, Myanmar. However, I have been living as a refugee about eight years in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh.
Early Life and Education
I was born into a Rohingya family in Myanmar, where our community has long been marginalized and persecuted. My father was a legendary tailor, well known both in voluminous Boli Bazaar and my village while my mother was a dedicated housewife. As a boy, I spent my days playing with my childhood friends, building small shelters with pieces of bamboo and cane, and torn tarpaulin, and enjoying all kinds of games.
However, I was curious, disciplined child and loved learning. I attended kindergarten at Kyung Gaung Primary School in Myanmar. Unfortunately, in 2017, I was forced to flee my homeland with my family after a horrific attack on Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar Militaries. Arriving in Bangladesh gave me a miserable identity “Refugee” but I have not lose hope. I still carry a big dream in my heart.
At first, my elder brother, Mr Ruhul Amin, taught me from Grade-1 to Grade-8 at my shelter located in Camp-6, Kutupalong. His teaching techniques are truly astonishing. Later, I continued my learning journey in a private organization called ” Mercy Refugee House” funded by Mr Joseph Namin. After studying there for almost 2 years, I enrolled at Life Destination High School in Grade-9. Since 2023, my dream has been moving forward, and soaring like a flower in bloom and emitting the flames brightly to reach achievement one day.
Career and Achievements
In my educational journey, I have been facing with the harsh reality of limited opportunities for Rohingya students in both Myanmar and Rohingya refugee camp. In 2023, through sheer determination and hard work, I secured 2nd position from all of the camps in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh in an “Essay and Letter Writing Competition” organized by Rohingya Youth Initiative-RYI.
Furthermore, by the grace of almighty Allah, I secured first position in Grade-10 at Life Destination High School, as well as being first overall among all students (တစ်ကျောင်းလုံး ပထမ) in the academic year 2024-2025. And also I secured first position in the “Mercy” school. Similarly, I secured first in my all grades. I am excited about my future and look forward to achieving even greater success in my academic pursuits.
Challenges and Struggles
In my mother land, Myanmar, the challenges I faced that put my life and well-being at risk and was subjected to persecution and discrimination by the Myanmar governments and forced to flee to the bordering country, Bangladesh in search of safety and security.
On 10th October 2016, when I was going to school in Myanmar, a sudden military team, facing me directly and asked me stubbornly and ferociously “Does your father involve in any related armed group?” I was shocked and replied with mega confidence “No”. Then, they continued in searching innocent Rohingya in my village to accuse them armed. I overheard that they were shooting into my village on and on and again and again too.
On 25th August 2017, the genocide committed against Rohingya Muslims, Arakan State, northern part of Myanmar. The world described it as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” was a systematic campaign of violence and persecution. These included mass killings, rape, torture, and the burning of villages. Countless men, women, and children were brutally murdered, while I and my family were forced to flee our home and seek refuge in neighboring country, Bangladesh.
Final hope
Striving for higher education for Rohingya students is not an easy task. All the opportunities of the further education have no keys to open but I remain focused on my goals and working tirelessly to achieve till reaching it. My story serves as a testament to resilience and determination of the Rohinhya community, who continue to grab for a better future despite the odds stacked against them.
I expect that my academic journey inspires other Rohinhya students to never give up on their dreams and to always keep fighting for a brighter future.
Finally, my journey as a Rohinhya student has been filled with ups and downs, and challenges and triumphs. Despite the obstacles I have faced, I remain committed to using my education to make a positive impact on the world. I will continue to work towards achieving my goals, advocating for justice, and equality for all.
“Mohammed Salim is one of the most dedicated and talented students in our school. His focus is to pen out in writing the other contents and also his own autobiography. “
Life Destination School 