Rohingya Muslims, who fled from violence in Myanmar, enter the no man’s land on a hill in Teknaf. September 2017.
In a grueling journey to cross into safety, the strongest carry the weakest in the damp paddy fields and heavy monsoon rainfall. The rain is heavy and frequent, and makes the ground incredibly wet and muddy, thus making it even more difficult to walk through. The journey to Bangladesh was hard for the Rohingya refugees, especially because there were many children and elderly people fleeing as well. They have to cross the land-mine infested border between Myanmar and Bangladesh to reach safety; while others take the risk of traveling in unstable fishing boats. More than 650,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from violence in Myanmar since August 25, 2017. Hundreds are known to have died trying to escape, and survivors arrive with horrifying accounts of villages burned, women raped, and scores killed in this 'clearance operations' by Myanmar's army.
The new arrivals in Bangladesh join an already-existing large population of Rohingya refugees, which has prompted the government to announce plans to build one of the world's largest refugee camps to house more than 800,000 stateless Rohingyas. The Rohingya refugee issue has been a long-standing problem and, unfortunately, the international community has remained mostly mute, unwilling to play a role in helping to resolve the problem. More than 35 years since it began, the Rohingyas’ crisis is long overdue for a solution.
Nasima Khatun (middle) and her neighbor carrying their belongings from Myanmar have crossed the border into Bangladesh on 3 September 2017, after three days of walking to escape violence in their village.
Rohingya Muslims who fled from recent violence in Myanmar are exhausted after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban, September 3, 2017
Mustakima and her brother Eliyas cry as the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) temporarily holds them after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban, September 3, 2017.
Monwara Khatun, 55, is being carried on bamboo by her sons. After fleeing from violence in Myanmar, they walk on a muddy path, crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Teknaf, Bangladesh, September 3, 2017.
Dil Newaz, 30, holding her one year old child and Nazma Begum, 40, from Myanmar who have crossed the border into Bangladesh on 2 September 2017, after three days of walking to escape violence in their village
Rohingya refugees, who fled from violence in Myanmar, stretch their hands for food near Balukhali in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, September 4, 2017.
Rohingya refugees who fled from violence in Myanmar wait in a long food queue in Ukhia, Cox’s bazar
A Rohingya refugee girl collects water from a hand pump.
Rohingya
women who fled from violence in Myanmar wash clothes in Kutupalong refugee cam,
cox’s bazar.
Rohingya
refugee children attend an open air Arabic school in Kutupalang newly expanded
Refugee Camp, where they learn to read the Quran.
Rohingya Muslims build new shelters in Balukhali refugee camp, Cox’s bazar, Bangladesh.
Rohingya children who fled from Myanmar, stand in the newly expended Kutupalong refugee camp. They have seen how the Burmese military tortured their parents and burned their houses
A refugee woman and her five children share a plate of rice for lunch at a makeshift cam near Kutupalong refugees cam in Cox’s bazar. Food security is a daily challenge for Rohingya refugees and many children suffer from malnutrition.
A
Rohingya refugee boy trying to protect his makeshift home from the rain in
Kutupalong newly expanded camp, Cox's Bazar
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