by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar | December 09, 2025
Canadian lawmakers visiting the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar say the situation for young refugees is becoming increasingly alarming as international aid continues to shrink. They warn that without immediate investment in education, an entire generation of Rohingya children will be left without the skills or opportunities needed for any future repatriation.
During the visit, MP Salma Zahid asked a critical question that echoed across the camps: “Without education, what are they returning home to?” She said the world cannot expect Rohingya repatriation to succeed if young people are denied the tools needed to rebuild their lives. “Right now, we are failing them,” she added.
Zahid, along with Senator Salma Ataullahjan and MP Sameer Zuberi, toured the camps under the leadership of Human Concern International and Human Concern USA. Over two days, they met families, teachers, youth groups, and community representatives. Everywhere they went, a single message was repeated: “We need education. We want a future.”
Children were found sitting outside shuttered learning centres. Teenage girls spoke of safety concerns and parents shared fears about early marriage and the growing sense of hopelessness among boys unable to study or work.
According to Human Concern International, more than 300,000 Rohingya children no longer have access to formal education because of major funding cuts from international donors, including the recent reduction from USAID. Only a small fraction of young refugees can continue learning beyond the primary level.
Masum Mahbub, CEO of Human Concern USA, said the education gap is deepening a humanitarian crisis. He warned that when young people see no path forward, the risks intensify. “Mental health problems, trafficking, exploitation—these are the shadows hanging over them. Girls are suffering the most. For the Rohingya, education is not a luxury. It is protection. It is survival.”
Despite the challenges, lawmakers said they met teenagers who still hold onto dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, and community leaders. “They have hope,” MP Sameer Zuberi said. “We must protect that hope.”
Senator Salma Ataullahjan thanked Bangladesh for opening its borders in 2017 and hosting nearly one million Rohingya refugees. She said Bangladesh has shown generosity, but cannot continue bearing the responsibility alone. She urged the international community to increase support.
Human Concern International says the delegation’s visit should be treated as more than a diplomatic gesture. The organisation is calling for a shift from short-term emergency responses to long-term investments in dignity and future-building for Rohingya refugees. One representative said education must be seen not as charity, but as a right.
The Canadian lawmakers said they will carry the voices of Rohingya youth back to Ottawa. Later this month, Human Concern International will host a Rohingya Day event in the Canadian Parliament to push for renewed commitments to the refugee community.
Before the delegation left Cox’s Bazar, a Rohingya teenager delivered a final message: “Don’t forget us. Don’t let our future disappear.”
