COX’S BAZAR, BANGLADESH – In the vast, sprawling refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, more than a million Rohingya refugees are trapped in a humanitarian crisis that the world has largely moved on from. These displaced people, who fled brutal military crackdowns in Myanmar, now find themselves in a limbo that offers no certainty, no security, and little hope for the future.
The Endless Cycle of Suffering
The Rohingya people have long been persecuted in Myanmar, denied citizenship, and subjected to systemic violence. In 2017, a military crackdown in Rakhine State forced hundreds of thousands to flee, with the majority seeking shelter in neighboring Bangladesh. Today, they remain confined to overcrowded, makeshift camps where food shortages, limited healthcare, and deteriorating sanitation conditions pose daily threats to their survival.
“I haven’t stepped outside this camp in over five years,” says 32-year-old Mohammed Karim, a Rohingya refugee who arrived in Bangladesh in 2017. “There is nowhere for us to go. We cannot go back to Myanmar because it is not safe, and we cannot build a future here.”
A Growing Hostility
While Bangladesh initially welcomed the refugees, the mood has shifted over the years. The Bangladeshi government has imposed stricter restrictions on movement, cut internet access, and even relocated some refugees to the remote island of Bhasan Char. The island, prone to flooding and natural disasters, has been widely criticized by human rights organizations as an inadequate solution.
Host communities, too, have begun to feel the strain. With limited resources and economic hardships of their own, resentment towards the Rohingya has been on the rise. Reports of increased security measures, arbitrary arrests, and crackdowns on education opportunities for Rohingya children have only worsened their plight.
International Neglect
Despite repeated appeals from humanitarian groups, international funding for Rohingya aid has drastically decreased. The United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported severe budget shortfalls, leaving thousands of refugees without access to basic necessities. The lack of political will from the global community has effectively abandoned the Rohingya to an uncertain fate.
“The world has forgotten about us,” laments Amina Begum, a Rohingya mother of four. “We hear of meetings and discussions, but nothing ever changes for us. We are living like prisoners with no rights and no future.”
A Call for Action
Human rights advocates are urging the international community to step up efforts to provide sustainable solutions for the Rohingya. This includes pressure on Myanmar to guarantee safe repatriation, increased humanitarian aid, and finding pathways for integration into host countries.
“We need to stop treating the Rohingya crisis as an afterthought,” says John Richardson, a human rights researcher. “These are human beings with dreams, families, and the right to live with dignity. The global community must not turn its back on them.”
As the years pass and their suffering continues, the Rohingya remain caught between a past they cannot return to and a future that remains painfully uncertain. Without immediate international intervention, an entire generation risks being lost to the consequences of inaction.
