Being Stateless

Some snippets of life for the displaced Rohingya community in the refugee camps.

- Wafiur Rahman

The recent military offensive in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has led to a fresh set of mass exodus into Bangladeshi territory. But this time, reportedly half of the Rohingya Muslim population has been displaced as a result of the crackdown, which stemmed from allegations of a group of Rohingya extremists attacking security checkpoints across the country last August.

A steady influx of Rohingya is streaming into the country through the Teknaf border with each passing day. The contingent primarily consists of the elderly, women and children – as men are left-behind to fend for themselves till they can come over to Bangladesh, or in most cases, have already been killed or left for dead, as per the statements given by their loved ones to the media.

During our course of reporting, several aspects caught our attention, which are highly reminiscent of wartime refugee camps. The plight for food, basic amenities, and healthcare depicts a sorry state of affairs for the Rohingya, as they are not recognised as citizens of their own country (despite living there for generations). After forcefully getting evicted by the Myanmar army, they are now rendered “stateless” and languishing in the Teknaf refugee camps. Several experiences are pieced together to depict a larger picture of displacement.

Anguish for aid