CHILD LABOUR
In the Bangladesh refugee camps, thousands of Rohingya children and boys continue to suffer from heartbreaking challenges every day. Many are forced into child labour, struggling to support their families just to survive. Like this young boy who walks deep into the forest to collect firewood, carrying heavy bundles on his shoulder to sell in the market so he can buy fishes and vegetables for his family.
The food rations provided by the World Food Programme are not enough to meet even their most basic needs. Families receive limited rice, lentils, and oil that barely last a few weeks. Without any legal right to work, the Rohingya have no stable income and must find risky or illegal ways to survive.
Children drop out of learning centers to help their parents, while others beg in nearby towns or search through garbage for anything they can sell. Many suffer from malnutrition, skin diseases, and mental trauma caused by hunger, poverty, and hopelessness. The overcrowded shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin cannot protect them from heavy rain, flooding, or extreme heat.
Women and girls face constant fear of harassment and violence, and many pregnant mothers cannot access proper healthcare. The lack of clean water and sanitation causes frequent outbreaks of diarrhoea and other diseases. When night falls, the camps become dark and unsafe, with limited lighting and no protection from crime or abuse.
Every day, the Rohingya refugees live with pain, uncertainty, and fear. Their basic human rights, dignity, and future are being slowly taken away from them.
By Md Zubair
To contribute to the Rohingya cause, go to UNHCR donations. Much help is needed.