From Memory to Justice: Rohingya Khobor Marks Genocide Remembrance Day with Survivors, Youth and Community Voices

More than 100 Rohingya survivors, women representatives, youth activists, educators, journalists, students and community members gathered in Cox’s Bazar to remember those killed, preserve survivor testimony and renew demands for justice, dignity and a safe return to their homeland.

Cox’s Bazar, 25 August 2026: Rohingya genocide survivors, women, young people, community leaders, educators, journalists and students gathered on Tuesday for a Genocide Remembrance Day programme organised by Rohingya Khobor, marking nine years since the mass violence and displacement of 2017.

Held under the theme “From Memory to Justice: Voices of Rohingya Genocide Survivors,” the programme brought together more than 100 participants for a day centred on survivor testimony, historical memory, cultural expression, community reflection and the continuing Rohingya demand for justice.

Rather than treating August 25 only as an anniversary of suffering, the event sought to create a space where Rohingya survivors could speak in their own voices about what they had lost, what they had survived and what they continue to seek nine years after being forced from their homeland.

Speakers returned repeatedly to several themes: the need to preserve memories of life in Arakan before 2017, the responsibility to document the violence and displacement, the particular experiences of Rohingya women and children, the importance of preserving language and identity, and the demand for a future in which Rohingya can return home safely and with dignity.

The programme also placed young Rohingya at the centre of remembrance—not only as members of a generation that inherited the consequences of genocide, but as photographers, videographers, poets, singers, activists and community organisers responsible for carrying Rohingya history forward.

Remembering Those Who Were Lost

The programme opened with remarks from Hafizur Rahman, who reflected on the significance of August 25 for Rohingya communities.

He said Rohingya history could not be separated from the testimony of people who had directly experienced persecution, violence and displacement.

“Today is not simply a day to remember the past,” he said. “It is a day to listen to the voices of survivors, preserve the truth of what happened to our people and remind the world that justice remains unfinished.”

“Our memories are part of our identity, and our testimonies are part of our history.”

Participants then observed a one-minute silence in memory of Rohingya killed during the 2017 violence and earlier periods of persecution.

The silence was followed by the first survivor testimony session, titled “Remembering Home: Life Before and During the Genocide.”

The session deliberately began with memories of home rather than violence alone, allowing survivors to speak about the communities, relationships and ways of life that existed before their displacement.

‘We Lost Much More Than Houses’

Mr. Rashid, an elderly Rohingya survivor and respected community figure, spoke about village life, citizenship, community relationships and the restrictions Rohingya experienced before 2017.

His testimony centred on the meaning of home as something larger than physical property.

“Before the violence, our homes were not only buildings,” he said. “They were where our families were born, where our children grew up, where our elders were buried and where our community history was preserved.”

“When our villages were destroyed, we lost much more than houses. We lost the places that carried our memories.”

Rashid said Rohingya families had not willingly abandoned their homeland.

“We did not leave our homeland because we wanted another country,” he said. “We left because remaining meant risking our lives.”

“Our hope has always been to return safely and with dignity to our homeland.”

His testimony reflected a theme that ran through the programme: displacement was not simply movement across a border. For many survivors, it meant the destruction of physical places that held family histories, graves, religious life, livelihoods and collective memory.

Rohingya Women and the Burden of Survival

Umme Ruman, a Rohingya woman representative and survivor, spoke about persecution, displacement, family separation and the role women played in keeping families together during and after the violence.

“Women carried the pain of losing their homes, their relatives and their security, but they also carried their families forward,” she said.

“Even after losing almost everything, Rohingya women continued to protect their children, preserve their dignity and keep hope alive.”

Her remarks highlighted an experience often left at the margins of political discussion about the Rohingya crisis: women were not only victims of violence and displacement but central actors in family survival, caregiving, community preservation and the transmission of memory.

That theme returned later in the programme when women community leaders called for Rohingya women to be more fully included in discussions about the community’s future.

A Childhood Divided Between Homeland and Refugee Life

For younger survivors, memories of 2017 are also memories of childhood.

Aros Kamal, a Rohingya youth and young adult survivor, reflected on growing up between memories of Arakan and the reality of refugee life.

“Many children of my generation grew up carrying two realities: memories of a homeland we knew as children and the reality of refugee life that came after,” he said.

“We lost our childhood in the violence, but we cannot allow the violence to take away our future.”

His testimony spoke directly to a generation that was young when the 2017 violence occurred and has since spent much of its adolescence or early adulthood in displacement.

For that generation, remembrance is inseparable from questions about education, identity, leadership and whether they will ever have the opportunity to return and rebuild their communities.

Songs and Poetry Carry Memory

The survivor testimonies were followed by a cultural reflection session in which Rohingya youth used music, religious expression and poetry to explore memory, loss and hope.

Mohammed Anas, a young Rohingya singer, performed a song about suffering, separation and longing for the homeland.

The performance created an emotional moment in the programme, particularly among survivors and older participants whose memories of Arakan remained closely tied to places, families and communities they had lost.

Mohammed Ayoub, a madrasa student, performed a Tarana reflecting on the suffering Rohingya faced during the 2017 violence and the continuing consequences of displacement.

His presentation connected remembrance with faith, patience and hope for a safe and dignified return.

Mohammed Junaid, a Rohingya youth poet, recited a poem in the Rohingya language focusing on homeland, memory, loss and hope.

His performance also emphasised the importance of preserving the Rohingya language itself.

For a community living across camps and diaspora locations, language has become an important part of resisting cultural erasure and ensuring younger generations remain connected to Rohingya history and identity.

‘The Violence Did Not End When We Crossed the Border’

The second survivor testimony session, titled “Living with the Consequences: Life After Genocide,” shifted the focus from the violence itself to what followed.

Sofia Khatun, a Rohingya widow and survivor, spoke about the continuing consequences of loss, statelessness and prolonged refugee life.

“The violence did not end when we crossed the border,” she said.

“We survived the immediate danger, but we continue to live with the consequences of what happened.”

“We have lost family members, our homes and our freedom, yet we continue to raise our children and protect our dignity.”

Her testimony challenged the idea that survival begins and ends with escaping immediate physical violence.

For Rohingya families, crossing into Bangladesh ended one form of danger but opened a prolonged period of exile marked by loss of homeland, restricted movement, uncertainty over return and dependence on humanitarian support.

A Generation Inheriting Displacement

Rejuwan Khan, a Rohingya refugee youth, spoke about identity, education, belonging and the responsibilities facing younger Rohingya.

“Our generation inherited the memory of a homeland, but many of us have never been able to live there,” he said.

“We therefore have a responsibility to learn our history, protect our identity and prepare ourselves to contribute when the opportunity for a dignified return comes.”

His remarks reflected the reality of a growing generation born or raised in displacement.

For young Rohingya, preserving history is not only about remembering what happened to their parents and grandparents. It is also about understanding where they come from and developing the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the future of their community.

Journalism and Documentation as Collective Memory

The programme also examined the role of journalism, photography and documentation in preserving Rohingya history.

Ro Yassin Abdomonab, a Rohingya photographer and journalist, said documentation could help ensure that Rohingya history remained grounded in the voices and experiences of the community itself.

“Every photograph, every testimony and every documented story can become part of our collective memory,” he said.

“If we do not preserve our history, others may attempt to define our history for us.”

His remarks reflected one of the central purposes of the event: preserving survivor testimony not simply as material for an anniversary programme, but as part of a longer historical record.

Rohingya Khobor arranged for individual speeches, survivor testimonies and cultural performances to be photographed and recorded throughout the event.

Young Rohingya Must Carry the Memory Forward

Sahat Zia Hero, a youth representative, spoke about the role of younger generations in preserving the memory of the genocide and strengthening community unity.

“Remembering the genocide is not only the responsibility of survivors,” he said.

“It is also the responsibility of the younger generation.”

“We must learn from our history, stand together as a community and build the capacity necessary to shape our future.”

His remarks linked remembrance directly to responsibility.

As survivors grow older and a new generation comes of age in displacement, the preservation of testimony increasingly depends on younger Rohingya learning, recording and transmitting the experiences of those who lived through the violence.

Women Must Be Part of Decisions About the Future

Women’s community leader Shabekun Naher stressed that Rohingya women should not remain outside leadership and decision-making.

“A community cannot move forward while half of its population remains unheard,” she said.

“Rohingya women have endured enormous suffering, but they have also demonstrated extraordinary strength.”

“Their voices must be included in discussions about our community and our future.”

Her remarks connected the experiences of Rohingya women during displacement with a broader demand for meaningful participation.

Women, she argued, should not be remembered only through narratives of suffering. They should also have a substantive role in shaping community institutions, advocacy and future political discussions.

Investing in Rohingya Youth

Youth activist Ali Jinnah Hussain spoke about resilience, education, leadership and the importance of building the capacity of young Rohingya.

“Our circumstances may be difficult, but our capacity is not limited,” he said.

“We need to invest in our young people, strengthen their education and leadership, and prepare them to serve the Rohingya community with knowledge, discipline and responsibility.”

The question of youth capacity has become increasingly urgent after nine years of displacement.

Children who fled Arakan in 2017 are now entering adulthood, while another generation has grown up entirely in the camps.

Speakers said that preserving history must therefore be accompanied by opportunities for young Rohingya to learn, organise, document and lead.

Children Carry Flags, Songs and Memory

Children and students also participated in a cultural presentation during the programme.

Wearing white shirts and green longyi, they performed while holding both the Myanmar national flag and the Rohingya flag.

The cultural segment concluded with participants joining together for a collective presentation while the two flags were displayed.

The performance carried particular significance within a programme centred on Rohingya identity and homeland.

For participants, the presence of children represented both continuity and uncertainty: a generation growing up outside Arakan while being taught to remember a homeland many have never seen.

Their participation reinforced the importance of transmitting history, language and identity across generations.

Six Rohingya Youth Document the Entire Programme

A significant part of the event was also carried out behind the scenes by six skilled Rohingya youth volunteers.

The volunteers provided photography, videography and event documentation throughout the day.

They recorded the opening session, individual survivor testimonies, speeches, cultural performances, youth presentations and closing reflections.

Particular attention was given to producing individual video records of speakers and survivors so that their testimonies could be preserved beyond the event itself.

Photographs were also taken throughout the programme to document participation, cultural expression and key moments of remembrance.

The work created a visual and audiovisual archive that Rohingya Khobor intends to preserve for future reporting, historical documentation and public awareness.

The participation of the volunteers also demonstrated how Rohingya youth are increasingly developing technical and journalistic skills that can be used to document their own community.

Rather than having outsiders alone record Rohingya history, young Rohingya themselves participated in creating the archive of the day.

‘A Community That Remembers Can Protect Its Identity’

The programme concluded with reflections from Mv. Mr. Hamidur Rahman, Principal of Milestone High School and a community leader.

He spoke about the continuing importance of justice, accountability, education, unity and preserving survivor testimony.

“A community that remembers its history can protect its identity,” he said.

“A community that preserves the testimonies of its survivors can defend the truth.”

“And a community that remains united can continue its pursuit of justice.”

He also emphasised faith, dignity, education and community cohesion as important foundations for the future.

More Than an Anniversary

More than 100 participants attended the programme over the course of the day.

Rohingya Khobor provided coffee, lunch, refreshments and other necessary event support for survivors, speakers, volunteers and participants so that the programme could continue throughout the day.

But the central outcome of the gathering was the creation of a shared space where survivors could speak, younger generations could listen and Rohingya voices could document their own history.

The combination of survivor testimony, women’s perspectives, youth voices, cultural performances, journalism and community documentation reflected a broader understanding of remembrance.

Memory is not simply about recording the past.

For Rohingya communities living through prolonged displacement, memory is connected to identity, justice and the right to return.

The destruction of villages, killing of family members and displacement of hundreds of thousands in 2017 remain part of the community’s present because the conditions created by that violence have not been resolved.

Rohingya remain displaced from their homeland, accountability remains incomplete, and a safe, dignified and rights-based return remains unavailable.

From Memory to Justice

The message emerging from the programme was therefore not simply that Rohingya remember what happened.

It was that remembrance carries responsibilities.

Survivor testimonies must be preserved.

Young people must know the history of their community.

Women’s voices must be included.

Language, culture and collective memory must survive displacement.

And the pursuit of accountability cannot end simply because years have passed.

Nine years after the mass displacement of 2017, the survivors who spoke at the Rohingya Khobor event continue to carry memories of homes, relatives and communities left behind.

Their testimonies also carried another message: Rohingya remembrance is inseparable from the hope of returning home with dignity, security and rights.

The programme closed around the theme with which it began:

From Memory to Justice.

We remember. We preserve. We speak. And we continue to seek justice.