By: Camp Correspondent
Camp 1W, Cox’s Bazar | May 1, 2025
A 7-year-old Rohingya boy, Abdul Hafiz, lost his life in a tragic road accident this morning after being hit by an unauthorized vehicle inside Camp 1W. The incident occurred around 9:30 AM near Block E-2 on the Lambasia–Musara road.
Abdul Hafiz, son of Nuruddin and Rahena Bibi, originally from Thit Ton Nah Kwa Sone village in Myanmar, was walking along the roadside when a speeding, unregistered vehicle struck him. Witnesses said the vehicle was operating without any formal authorization, a growing problem in the overcrowded camp areas.
“This is not the first time. These reckless drivers don’t care that children are playing nearby,” said one resident, angered by the lack of regulation. “If nothing is done, more children will die.”
Abdul Hafiz was rushed by bystanders and emergency responders to the BRAC Clinic in Camp 1W, but despite immediate efforts by medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
The boy’s sudden death has sent shockwaves through the community, renewing urgent calls for tighter control over vehicles inside the camps. Residents report a growing number of illegal transports—often operated without licenses or safety oversight—endangering lives in already congested and vulnerable living conditions.
Community leaders and humanitarian agencies are urging camp management and law enforcement to launch an immediate investigation, hold the driver accountable, and implement strict enforcement against unauthorized vehicles within the camp perimeter.
“We live in hardship, but losing a child to a preventable accident is unbearable,” said a family member. “We want justice, and we want no other family to suffer like this.”
As the camp mourns young Abdul Hafiz, his grieving family—like so many others in the world’s largest refugee settlement—is left pleading for safety, justice, and the basic right for their children to walk without fear.
