COX’S BAZAR: Rohingya Refugees Hope New Leadership Will Open Path Home
Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh have expressed renewed hope after electing a representative leadership council, believing it could improve living conditions and revive stalled efforts for their return to Myanmar.
The camps in Cox’s Bazar, spread across nearly 8,000 acres, are home to around 1.7 million stateless Rohingya, most of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state in 2017. The violence is currently under investigation as genocide at the United Nations’ top court.
In July, refugees held their first elections in eight years, resulting in the formation of the United Council of Rohang (UCR). More than 3,000 voters from 33 camps participated, electing an executive committee and five rotating presidents tasked with focusing on human rights, education and health.
“They are working to take us home,” said Khairul Islam, 37, who once ran a successful timber business in Myanmar. Living now in cramped shelters, he described the harsh camp conditions, saying entire families are forced to share a single room in intense heat.
Addressing a gathering, UCR President Mohammad Sayed Ullah urged refugees to remember the violence that forced them to flee. He recalled lives lost during the exodus and stressed the importance of preparing for a return to their homeland.
His remarks were met with nods of agreement, reflecting a shared hope among refugees that their newly elected leadership can help restore dignity and one day lead them back home.
