Refugees face bleak future despite escape

Loss of support : Nur Begum, 22, holding her two children at Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar. She lost her husband when he was killed by the Myanmar military while in Rakhine. — Bernama

COX’S BAZAR: Nur Begum is 22 and a mother of two. She should be looking forward to the future, but doesn’t know how she will live it.

“My village was attacked by the military and my husband was shot dead. I escaped with my children, taking three days to reach the camp while having nothing to eat,” said Nur Begum, who arrived at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp 10 days ago.

Nur Begum added that life was harder now as she had to raise her two young children, by herself and as a refugee.

Four-year-old Kisna Tara is a lost child. She instantly became an orphan when the Myanmar military killed both her parents.

She is now cared for by her grandmother, Nur Aishah, 40, who brought her to the camp months ago.

It was reported that over a million Rohingya have sought shelter at refugee camps in Bangladesh as numbers rise with the increased attacks in Rakhine by Myanmar’s military since Aug 25.

The refugees live in squalid conditions that lack basic necessities such as water and electricity, and are dependent on food from humanitarian organisations.

Witnessing his wife and daughter die at the hands of the military was a traumatic experience for Muhammad Sidiq, the imam of a mosque in Mondu village.

The tragedy forced the 78-year-old to flee to Bangladesh and join the many Rohingya refugees who were forced to seek shelter at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp, about 35km from here.

“When the soldiers came, I was teaching children the Quran. They shot the villagers and burnt down the houses.

“We faced many challenges before we arrived at this camp 25 days ago.

“It took me and six other people seven days to reach Kutupalong.

“We had to hide from the Myanmar military and be careful of mines planted in the area,” said Muhammad Sidiq through a camp translator. — Bernama