RO Maung Shwe
In the bustling labyrinth of Cox’s Bazar’s refugee camps, amidst the voices of children playing and the rustle of makeshift homes, Abdul Amin sits quietly. His leg, injured by a bullet, tells one part of his story. His eyes, heavy with loss, narrate another—a story of survival, sacrifice, and the unrelenting will to endure.
For much of his life, Abdul Amin—known in his village as Hla Myint Zaw Win—was a hardworking family man in Hladaw Prangcheing village, nestled in Myanmar’s Buthidaung Township. As a daily laborer in a brickfield, he earned a modest 4,000 to 5,000 kyats a day, supporting a sprawling family of 21 members. His days were long, his resources scarce, yet his spirit was resilient. Life, though humble, was theirs to cherish.
A Father’s Last Breath
That life came crashing down in June 2024, when violence engulfed Buthidaung. Abdul Amin’s father, 67-year-old Abdul Loti, was shot and killed by the Arakan Army during an attack on their township. The village, once a place of modest peace, turned into a battlefield. The gunfire that claimed his father also shattered the fabric of his family’s existence.
Soon after, Abdul Amin became a victim of the military junta’s brutal tactics. Abducted and forced into servitude as a porter and human shield, he found himself caught between two warring factions—the junta and the Arakan Army. During one clash, a bullet from the Arakan Army struck his leg, leaving him severely wounded. The chaos of the battlefield was his escape route, as strangers risked their lives to help him cross the border into Bangladesh.
A Wounded Body, A Heavy Heart
When Abdul Amin arrived in Bangladesh, he was physically broken and emotionally drained. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provided urgent medical care, treating his injuries. However, the bullet wound in his leg continues to affect his mobility, rendering him unable to work and support himself. In Camp-5 of Ukhiya, he relies on food aid from the World Food Programme (WFP) to survive.
While he battles his physical limitations, the mental scars of his loss cut deeper. His younger brother, arrested while fleeing the violence, is now imprisoned in Thailand. His parents and siblings have been captured by the Arakan Army, while his wife struggles to survive in a nearby village, Gudam Para, without adequate food or medical care. Abdul Amin is a man caught in limbo—unable to reunite with his loved ones or bring them to safety.
A Plea for Recognition
Abdul Amin’s story is one of survival against unimaginable odds, but it is also a plea for justice and action. “I have lost everything—my father, my family, my home,” he says, his voice trembling with emotion. “I cannot bring my family here, nor can I go to them. We need help. We need the world to see us.”
His plight is not unique. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya share his anguish, separated from their families, struggling to find hope in a reality marred by persecution. The violence they have fled is relentless, yet their resilience is profound.
A Call for Humanity
Abdul Amin’s journey from Myanmar to Cox’s Bazar is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. But his story also underscores the urgent need for global intervention. Families like his need more than food and shelter—they need justice, security, and the chance to rebuild their lives.
As Abdul Amin sits in his makeshift home, surrounded by the echoes of his loss, he clings to one fragile hope: that the world will hear his story and act before it is too late. For him, and for countless others, survival is only the beginning.
