Saddam Hussain was shot by the Myanmar military when he along with his wife, Rashida Begum, and their two-year-old daughter were crossing the Naf River to land in Bangladesh’s Shah Porir Dwip on August 30, 2017.
He had to be carried in a makeshift chair throughout the journey. He received medical care from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) only after entering Bangladesh territory four days after being shot in the lower limbs.
“They came in military vehicles and stormed the entire village through gunfire,” Rashida said.
“When we attempted to flee, my husband was shot. Allah has seen everything. They harassed us, tried to rape us, and dishonor us in many ways.”
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims like Rashida Begum and Saddam Hussain arrived in Bangladesh five years ago. Bangladeshis helped them with food and shelter. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised protection for them until they could safely return to their homes.
But five years on, just like the others, Rashida Begum and Saddam Hossain are still in Bangladesh. The couple now have three children, and the family is struggling to survive.
Saddam lost his mobility and he cannot work with his injured limbs. The family depends on humanitarian aid that Rashida collects.
The family often moves around in places for loans to meet demands that need cash.
There are nearly one million Rohingya people in Bangladesh. Their welfare is managed by the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), a government body. The population has been placed in 34 different camps that are managed by the Camp-in-Charge or CiC who work with Rohingya community leaders, called majhis. Their work is supported by international and Bangladeshi humanitarian organizations.
A CiC for two camps and also a senior assistant secretary of the Bangladesh government said: "We have to look into every camp related issue, which also includes dealing with several humanitarian actors. Our contact number is available to many Rohingya people, including the majhis. They can contact us at midnight and without any delay we have to get to work and solve their problems. On one hand, a CiC must be a compassionate person and on the other hand, he needs to resolve disputes among the Rohingyas. It’s a tough job.”
It is a massive operation, but five years later, much of the international attention has shifted to other crises, be it the coronavirus pandemic, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan or the war in Ukraine. Pledged funding is being diverted to other countries, leaving the Bangladesh government to struggle in meeting the needs of the Rohingya people.
According to experts, only 25% of the funding needed has been received as of August 2022, eight months into the year, which is about 35 cents (6 BDT ) for each Rohingya person per day.
It is simply not enough. As Additional Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Shamsud Douza told Dhaka Tribune: “It has been becoming a challenge to manage and organize everything for this huge population. But we have been successfully managing the crisis and meeting their needs with help from different humanitarian partners every day.”
The shortages are also driving the community to desperation, and some have resorted to human trafficking or illegal drug trade for cash.
Mohib Ullah, a Rohingya leader, was shot dead by miscreants on 29 September 2021 in his office at the Kutupalong camp. Several other murders have reportedly taken place in the camp since then. With violence increasing in the camp, the Bangladesh government has deployed security forces to bring the situation under control.
The Rohingyas in the camp say that they want to go back. “What I heard in my conversations with women, young people, religious leaders and other Rohingyas in the camps is that they are hopeful that they will be able to return to their villages and homes in Myanmar – but only when the conditions are right,” said UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachalet following her recent visit to Cox’s Bazar.
“Unfortunately the current situation across the border means that the conditions are not right for such repatriations, which must always take place in a voluntary and dignified manner,” she added.
In Myanmar, however, the military, accused of crimes against humanity and acts of genocide against the Rohingyas, has now seized power in the country. This makes it very difficult for the Rohingyas to return to the country.
Even so, Saddam and Rashida hope that they will go back soon. “We were not so poor back in our country but here we do not have anything. We have to wait until someone provides us rations. There is no work, no proper education for children. We want to go back to Myanmar. But the international community should ensure that we get justice and make sure that we don’t have to flee to Bangladesh again.”
Additional reporting by Adil Sakhawat