By Ro Maung Shwe
Roots in Myaw Taung
My name is Mujommel Hoq. I was born in Myaw Taung village, also known as Saliprang, in the northern part of Maungdaw Township in Arakan State of Myanmar. My village was quiet and green, surrounded by fields and slow moving rivers. My family had lived there for generations. Our home was simple but filled with warmth, faith and a belief that a better future was still possible. Even as a child I grew up under the restrictions placed on Rohingya in Myanmar, but I continued to hold on to my dream of pursuing education and serving my community.
My father left Myanmar for Malaysia when I was very young. He had no option. The Myanmar authorities denied Rohingya citizenship, movement and work. Daily life was marked by harassment and the threat of arrest or forced labour. My father could no longer find safe or legal work to support us, so he escaped to Malaysia in search of survival.
Struggling for Knowledge
Education for Rohingya children in Myanmar was limited and heavily controlled. Higher education was closed to us. Many teachers were afraid to teach Rohingya students. Even primary schools operated under pressure. In my village many talented young people abandoned their education after matriculation because the government simply did not allow Rohingya to continue.
I studied at my village high school taught by committed community teachers. Every time I thought of my dreams, I was reminded that I belonged to a country where Rohingya dreams were not permitted.
After arriving in Bangladesh, I continued my studies at a small community run school inside the refugee camp. My goals had to change with circumstances, but one lesson became clear to me. Before we can chase our individual ambitions, we must confront the discrimination that has taken so much from our community. I did not want the next generation to inherit the same injustice.
I became involved in writing, storytelling and volunteering. Education became my strongest tool to challenge ignorance and to raise awareness about the rights of my people.
A Journey Through Fear
During the 2017 military crackdown, my family experienced violence that left deep scars. The Myanmar military and extremist groups burned homes, killed civilians and assaulted women. Our village came under attack from helicopters and armed groups. People ran through mud, slipped in the rain and fell into rivers while trying to flee. Some drowned. Others were shot as they tried to escape. Mothers cried for their missing children. Elderly people fell behind.
These moments taught me how the military viewed us. They treated us as if we were not human. Those memories remain with me and continue to push me to speak for justice and truth.
We fled because staying meant death or imprisonment. With no food, no safety and no dignity left, we left our home with only the hope of protecting the younger members of our family.
The journey to Bangladesh was filled with fear. We walked long distances, hid in forests and crossed muddy fields. At night, we crossed the Naf River in an overcrowded wooden boat. The waves were strong and children cried as water splashed into the boat. Many people drowned before reaching the other side. When we finally stepped onto Bangladeshi soil, we were exhausted but grateful to be alive.
Life in the refugee camps was a new challenge. Shelters were small and crowded. Access to clean water, food and medicine was uncertain. Education remained one of the greatest difficulties. Refugee children had few learning opportunities and almost no formal schooling. Still, I joined a learning centre and tutored younger students.
There were days when I questioned why refugees are denied basic rights and why justice seems available only to the powerful. If animals are protected in their natural habitats, why can human beings not live safely in their own land.
Giving Voice to the Silenced
Today, I work as a Gender Based Violence volunteer, a designer and editor at the Arakan Rohingya Students Forum and a teacher at a community learning centre. I use writing, photography and design to document stories from my community. I focus on youth empowerment and the importance of education for social change. My work aims to preserve dignity, raise awareness and support the right of Rohingya people to be heard.
A Vision Beyond Crisis
My hope is to see a peaceful, educated and self reliant Rohingya community free from fear, statelessness and discrimination. I want to continue my education and build my ability to advocate for human rights. My goal is to support young Rohingya in telling their own stories and leading the community toward justice, equality and a hopeful future.
Even from within a refugee camp, I believe we can rise. Our future is not lost. It is waiting to be reclaimed.
