Today marks the 78th Independence Day of Myanmar, observed on 4 January. On this historic day, it is important to remember that Rohingya Muslims stood alongside the Myanmar government during the struggle for independence. Despite this contribution, the Rohingya people have been unjustly denied their full rights and expelled from their ancestral land.
To demand the restoration of full citizenship and fundamental rights, this event has been organized by the United Council of Rohingya (UCR).
Story and photo By Ro Mohammed Ridowan
The conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military junta has created a deadly trap, one in which Rohingya families are forced to suffer, flee and fight for survival. Among them is 19-year-old Rusana, a newly married young woman whose life was torn apart when her husband, Shohid Alam was abducted and killed by the AA.
Rusana, daughter of Mohammed Islam is from MaungNi village (မောင်နီရွာ) in Maungdaw, Arakan State. At just 16, she married Shohid Alam of Paddang village (ပဒင်ကျေးရွာ) in Southern Maungdaw. Shohid was educated, optimistic and determined to build a better future for their family. Their happiness grew with the birth of a baby boy with joy in the middle of rising unrest.
As fighting intensified between the AA and the military junta, nights became sleepless and homes unsafe. “Hoping to escape brutal attacks, we moved to my parents’ house in MaungNi village,” Rusana said.
Weeks later, on 21 July 2024, during Eid-ul-Adha, Shohid traveled to his native village to meet his brother, recently released from Buthidang Jail after unjust imprisonment during the 2017 crackdown. Many Rohingya, including Shohid had been jailed or sentenced without reason and clear evidence of deliberate persecution.
Shortly after leaving, Rusana received a devastating phone call.
“I was told that my husband along with six others was arrested by the Arakan Army while returning to me. Later, we learned they were killed.”
Rusana cried through broken tears
By August 2024, AA artillery assaults targeted Rohingya villages. Rusana’s family fled to Ali Para, seeking temporary safety. But ten days later, the AA captured more than 1,000 people including her family and forcibly gathered them in Pan Taw Phyin village.
They eventually returned to Paddang but arrests of young men became constant. Fearing for their lives, Rusana’s father arranged for the family to cross the Naf River into Bangladesh.
On 15 August 2024, after a dangerous journey, they reached the Bangladesh border. But instead of safety, they were met by gangs of boatmen. “They searched us and took our valuables and even forced me and one of my sisters to be naked. They took 1.5 million MMK and 8.5 ticals of gold hidden in our clothes.” Rusana recounted, “During this abuse, the men in our group were locked away in a dark room.”
With help from a compassionate guide, Rusana and her family eventually reached a relative’s shelter in a refugee camp. Although they escaped immediate danger, new struggles began regarding food shortages, lack of healthcare, insecurity, trauma and the pain of losing Shohid.
Like Rusana, there are many unresearched victims who lost their belongings and family members under the attack of Arakan Army AA. The silence of the world is the dely of justice and peace on Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State in Myanmar.
Edited By Anuwar Sadek
Our Mid-Term Examination Hall in different centres. Thank you every student for your punctual attendance.
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.
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.”
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. “
Words by Anuwar Sadek and Sayedul Amin
My name is Sayedul Amin, son of Kamal Hossain and Noor Foraz. I am 17 years old and one of nine members in my family. I was a student in Kyet Yoe Pyin (ကြက်ရိုးပြင်), Northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, Myanmar. Life was simple and peaceful, closely tied to nature. I was in grade 2 when I was still in Myanmar. Though our life was small, our hopes were big.
But how could we ever imagine that we would be forced to search for safety from a land that had suddenly become a graveyard, destroyed by the brutal operations of the Burmese military?
On 11 October 2016, my life changed forever when the junta began its campaign of discrimination and violence. It all started on 9 October, when an armed operation began moving from Hawarbil village (ကျီးကန်ပြင်) toward our village, Kyet Yoe Pyin. On that day, some of my neighbors were killed by gunfire, young and old, without distinction. Others were taken by Burmese soldiers, and to this day, there is no news of them. Tears became our closest companion. Fear flowed like a stream. Our land became venomous, yet hope still lived in our hearts.
On 12 October 2016, we made the painful decision to leave our home. I felt like a motherless child. “Where will we go?” my father asked through tears. No one wanted to leave, but we had no choice. We left behind everything—our belongings, our memories with carrying only fear in our hearts and a faint hope for survival.
That night, we reached a house not far from our village. We spent the whole night hearing gunfire, like rain falling on our fears and the mosquitoes were only night guards. The next morning, the military began going door to door. We hid in silence. The soldiers shouted, “Where are you? Come fight us!” Our hearts felt like they were breaking into pieces, like a landslide falling into sand. We silently wept. Everyone prayed, “Oh Allah, Oh Allah.” After about an hour, the soldiers moved to another home. As soon as they left, we escaped.
Behind us, houses began to burn. Nearly 1,500 homes were destroyed in our village, including the market. We moved from village to village, desperately searching for safety. Gunfire echoed from the north. Everyone took shelter in the paddy fields and under the open sky. As we ran, the cries of the people and the sounds of bullets followed us.
A small stream with a strong current blocked our path. In the grief struck like an earthquake, I lost sight of my parents and other family members. I didn’t know how to swim. My heart broke again. Luckily, a villager heard my cries and helped me cross.
On 15 October 2016, I reached Kya Gon Ton village (ကျားခေါင်းတောင်ရွာ), where by some miracle, I found my family again. But the villagers there were also filled with fear and sorrow. My father, crying as he hugged me, said, “This is the end of my life.” One of my uncles suggested us to ahead to the mountains for safety. But soon, another idea gave us more hope, “It’s better to move to Bangladesh.” He added.
So we began our journey. Along the way, we were hungry, exhausted, and afraid. When we finally reached the border, gunfire broke out again. We were forced to stay one night near the border. That night, grass became our bed, leaves became our food, and melted dew became our water. Mosquitoes were our only companions and their relentless buzzing kept us awake. Many people died that night. I thought: “This stream is their grave, and the fish are now their friends.”
At dawn, we crossed the border into Bangladesh, paying 25,000 MMK per person with the money my parents had saved back home. On 22 October 2016, we reached our final destination: the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.
Now, I live as a refugee without home, land, or happiness. I am like a fish without water. A baby without a mother. A bird without a nest and the shelter I sleep in at night is full of mosquitoes and doesn’t allow me a peaceful sleep. I don’t have access to higher education. Sadness is my closest friend in the camp. Yet despite everything, I continue my studies. I currently study in grade 9 at Life Destination High School in Camp 6. I am trying to build a better future, InshAllah (God willing).
My final request to the world is this: Please open your eyes to the Rohingya crisis. Bring us justice. And ensure that Rohingya children like me—have the chance to access higher education.
Note:
Sayedul Amin, a grade 9 students, begins sharing his life struggle through his pen after receiving the recent Beginning Writers’ Workshop organized by Life Destination High School.
Words by Anuwar Sadek and Abul Kayas
My name is Abul Kayes, and I was born on July 2, 2002, in a village called Yea Mea Toung, nestled in the green hills of Northern Maungdaw, in Arakan State, Myanmar. My family is big with my parents, four brothers, eight sisters, and me. We lived a life of simplicity and closeness, where love was stronger than hardship. My father, Nur Korim, now 73, is a man of deep thought and quiet strength. My mother, Sara Khatun, now 48, is the heart of our home, resilient, selfless, and full of courage.
Our village was more than a place. It was a world. I remember waking up to the sounds of birds and the smell of fresh rain within the romantic scene as I felt like a prince in a kingdom made of bamboo, sunlight, and family.
But on 25 August 2017, when I was just 15, everything changed. The sound of gunfire from the Burmese military thundered over the skies like crashing icebergs, shattering the calm and scattering our world into trauma. I remember the fear before I understood the reason. Rumors of violence spread like wildfire: soldiers were coming. Villages were burning. People were disappearing. And then, it came to us. That night, none of us could sleep. All of my parents’ remaining belongings including jewelry were buried under the ground for safety. My mother held onto 500,000 MMK, but it didn’t last. Some of it was spent during our escape, and the rest was given to the poor as an act of generosity even in hardship. My father quickly reached out to his brother, Habib Ullah, who supported us by sending 100,000 MMK after selling fish from my father’s lagoon.
One night, under a moonless sky, we packed whatever we could carry that were some rice, clothes, and food. Before leaving, we fed our cows and pets, hoping they’d survive without us. But they didn’t touch the food. They seemed to know. We cried as we walked away from everything we had ever known.
On 27 Aug 2017, we made our way to Kyet Yoe Pyin ( ကြက်ရိုးပြင် ) where one of my sisters lived. Her family joined our escape. Along the way, we lost Jesmin, my sister, in the chaos. She had run ahead. It took hours to find her in a nearby village. By then, our home had burned to ash.
We moved another village called Kiyan Bong where we took shelter but sometimes we needed to sleep beside the village, in the paddy fields and hidden inside the bushes because the fear of Militaries’ gunshots didn’t allow to stay at proper place or sleep. My mother had cooked Qurbani meat for Eid just the day before we fled. “It is our last proper meal as a family.” My mother said with tear.
We again reached Shil Khali village. I remember carrying 2–3 kilograms of rice and the last 2,000 kyat we had. I bought onions and chilies from a nearby shop. Jesmin made a thin soup that warmed our empty stomachs and tired souls.
On 3 Sep 2017, we crossed the Naf River into Bangladesh, but a new challenge awaited us. The boats were too small to carry our entire family together, so I and one of my brothers boarded one boat, while the rest of our family, including my parents, were placed on another.
During the crossing, the crew on our boat took everything we had important documents, supplies, and personal belongings. It was a cruel moment when we were already at our most vulnerable. Thankfully, the rest of the family had managed to carry 100,000 MMK which my Uncle sent to my parents and paid the fare for their boat.
We arrived on the other side with exhausted, broken, and afraid hearts. But then something unexpected happened. The Bangladeshi people welcomed us with kindness. They gave us water, food, and shelter. For the first time in weeks, we felt the warmth of human compassion again.
Jesmin got lost once more in Hansur Para, a village in Bangladesh, waiting on the roadside. When we finally found her, we smiled. It was the first smile I’d seen on my parents’ faces since we left Myanmar. We stayed there for three days, then moved to Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, now the largest refugee settlement in the world. My eldest sister’s husband paid the 2,500Tk for our transport. It wasn’t easy, but we were safe.
My parents, even in their grief, encouraged me to keep studying. I enrolled in informal classes and managed to complete Class 10 while living in the camp. It was not just about education and it was survival. Learning became my rebellion.
My mother, with almost nothing, found ways to support me. She sold lentils, rice, and potatoes, earning barely 500 taka a month, just enough for pens and notebooks. Her hands were worn, but her faith was unshaken. ” You don’t need to be afraid of your study is being lost till I am alive.” She encouraged me
I also studied Arabic and Urdu on my own. I wanted to speak with dignity, to write with power. Every new word I learned felt like reclaiming something the world tried to take from us.
When I was 16, I met a man named Soyed Korim. He told me to write a CV, a simple piece of paper that would change my life. I applied for a job, and by the mercy of Allah, I was hired as a Case Management Volunteer with CODEC on November 6, 2019.
It was the first time I felt I had a role in the world again. Since then, I’ve worked to help other refugees, children like me, families like mine, who lost everything but hope. Life is still hard. Our salaries are small. We fall sick often. But we are human, and we still dream. We still believe
This story is not just mine. It is the story of the Rohingya people, a story of sorrow, strength, and survival. We were born in a storm, but we are not broken.
“Hope grows in the soil of pain. And education is the light that breaks through the darkness.”
My parents once dreamed I would become a surgeon. Today, I dream of studying at Stanford University. I don’t know what tomorrow holds. But I know that I will keep learning. I will keep helping. I will keep dreaming. of Because we may be refugees in the eyes of the world. But in the eyes of Allah, we are not forgotten.
Note:
Abul Kayas recieved the recent writing workshop and begins writing on real stories including his own one.
We are proud of seeing our Beginning Writer’s Workshop is playing an essential part of growing too many talents.
Life Destination High School
The Rohingya Muslims are the persecuted and vulnerable community in the world. Nearest one million Rohingya Muslims fled thier mother land, Myanmar due to genocidal act by the Myanmar Government and Arakan Army and currently taking refuge in the Cox’ s Bazar, Bangladesh. They extremely facing the challenge with many relevant basic needs such as food, health, movement, water, climate change and so on. Water is one of the most challenge for them to reach to their daily home- usage and pure water to drink clearly as the access to water is not enough to cover all the families in Rohingya refugee camp, Bangladesh.
#Water #problem #Rohingya #Refugees #Crisis #lackofwater #waterissue #Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Photos: Anuwar Sadek
This is Anuwar Sadek, a photographer, writer, teacher and poet from the largest refugee camp, Bangladesh. Through my lens, I love capturing the hardships and emotional inner cry of the Rohingya Muslims and also capturing macro objects like insects and flowers.
Reach out me…. https://www.instagram.com/anuwar_sadek_dkl?igsh=c3Uxdzg3Z2ljcHl6
Words by Anuwar Sadek and photos by Rj Sayed Nur
Rohingya refugees gathered in hope of repatriation during the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Dr. Muhammad Yunus to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
Photo: Rj Sayed Nur
The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in the northwest of Myanmar, have long endured persecution and oppression. For decades, the Burmese government has subjected them to violence and denied them basic human rights, including access to education, healthcare, employment, and freedom of movement.
Historically, the Rohingya were recognized as one of Myanmar’s 136 ethnic groups, living peacefully alongside the Rakhine people in Arakan State. However, as a minority, the Rohingya faced growing hostility, particularly from the Rakhine community. False accusations and discriminatory attitudes led to their increasing marginalization. These claims were widely accepted by the Burmese government, which resulted in the systematic denial of the Rohingya’s rights and, eventually, the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in 2017.
During a recent visit to Bangladesh, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced that the United Nations would engage with the Arakan Army AA to negotiate the safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya refugees currently in Bangladesh.
However, many refugees have raised concerns about the role of the Arakan Army in the repatriation process.
” Once, the Rakhine people were not part of the Arakan Army but were supporters of the Burmese government. They used hatred, discrimination, and false accusations to strengthen the Burmese government’s power to deny us equal rights. They also created magazines against our people and distributed them to their generations to instill deeper hatred toward us. The Burmese government took this seriously, and as a result, the Rakhine people gained more favors.” Nurul Haque shared his point
Nurul Haque also added that the Burmese government’s trust in the Rakhine people crumbled under the Arakan Army’s dominance. This became the greatest lesson the Rakhine community taught the Burmese government.
Rohingya refugees seek justice from the world and call for a safe return to their homeland.
Photo: Rj Sayed Nur
Md Nur, another refugee, shared his view that the Rakhine community manipulated the Burmese government to further their own agenda.
“Once the Arakan Army was weak, they used the term “Rohingya,” but when they became strong enough to defend themselves, they started calling us “Bengali.” “
He said. “They are our primary enemy, and we cannot accept any repatriation process that puts us under their control and their main focus is to exclude us from our original homes.”
Mohammed Saber, a Rohingya student, emphasized the importance of international intervention for any successful repatriation.
“It will not be possible to repatriate Rohingya refugees from the Bangladesh refugee camps unless the United Nations intervenes and deploys forces to Arakan State. It is crucial for the international community to take concrete action to establish a safe zone in northern Arakan, Myanmar, rather than relying solely on negotiations with the Arakan Army.”
While there is hope for the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees, many recognize that this process cannot proceed without the proper protection and security guarantees. International action is necessary to ensure that the refugees can return to their homeland safely and with dignity, without being subject to further persecution.
#Arakanarmy #Repartriation #UNforces #homes #safereturn #Arakanstate #Myanmar
Nurul Amin, 17 years old, son of Sayed Nur from Kamaung Seik, Northern part of Maungdaw, Arakan State in Myanmar. In 2017, Amin along with his parents left his homeland due to a horribly genocidal act on the Rohingya minority conducted by the brutal Burmese Militaries and arrived at Kutupalong, the largest refugee camp in Bangladesh.
” In Myanmar, when I was a child, I attended to a primary school in my village and It was the most challenging period for me as the school was so far from my house and it took me hours to reach at it. During rainy days, I was completely wet while I was on the way of my school. However, I hardly managed class 2 in my homeland before 2017.” Nurul Amin claimed
In 2017, the raping, discrimination, torturing, killing innocents, throwing children into fire, burning the houses and so on operated by the Burmese militaries forced over 1 million Rohingya people from their homes and fled to a bordering country, Bangladesh and took refuge in the forests of Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf. “ My legs became disable and unable to walk on while we were crossing the mountains, villages, barbed fence and river on Aug 2017.” Amin added.
Many elderly people and young children endured unbearable struggle to find a peaceful life on those days, leaving the homes. On their way of Bangladesh, they fought starvation as they took nothing from their homes.
“ It took us two days to travel through the hills for reaching Bangladesh and had nothing to eat and sometimes we needed to pinch our stomachs to relieve the suffering of hunger.” Amin expressed
After being a refugee in the largest refugee camp, Cox’s Bazar, he became a dreamless boy and received no opportunity to continue his study. With guidelines regarding learning forced him toward useless and wasted his time without doing anything for years. Finally, his father, Sayed Nur has open a small shop near his shelter and it starts working for the entire family. “ At the last, my father made me a shopkeer and selling it every morning and evening.” Amin said
” When I was 15, one opportunity from the Life Destination High School offered me to continue my educational journey and I have been attending the class from grade-3 since 2023. It is the hope and building a dream to catch my destination through this learning platform.” He added
There are many young Rohingya children who have no opportunities to make their life and build their future by studying in the Rohingya refugee camp. Offering a formal educational opportunities bring the peace and successes in which people can enjoy their lifetime and make the community develop. The international community must focus to restore the higher education for the Rohingya students in Refugee camp, Bangladesh.
By Anuwar Sadek
Life Destination School 