Rohingyatographer: A Lens of Resistance, Resilience, and Hope in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp

By: RO Maung Shwe

Contents

The Architects of Storytelling: Faces Behind the Lens and Pen Global Acclaim: From Refugee Camps to International Stages Showcasing Resilience: Exhibitions and Publications That Travel the World Celebrating Innovation: The Rohingyatographer Photo Awards 2024 Preserving Heritage: The Cultural Food Event A Journey of Unbreakable Spirit

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – In the heart of the world’s largest refugee camp, a remarkable story of human spirit and artistic defiance is unfolding. Here, amidst the challenging realities of displacement, a small but fiercely determined group of Rohingya photographers has come together with a singular, powerful dream: to seize the narrative, to tell their own stories to the world, in their voices, through their own eyes.

Out of this profound aspiration, Rohingyatographer was born — a vibrant creative collective fueled by passion, unwavering resilience, and an unbreakable connection to their identity.

The journey of Rohingyatographer began in 2021, sparked by the vision of Sahat Zia Hero, a Rohingya photographer and human rights activist. Witnessing the often one-sided portrayal of his people, Sahat felt a deep urgency to capture the daily life, struggles, and dreams of the Rohingya community through the intimate, authentic lens of a camera.

His initial efforts, supported by David Palazón, a creative producer and former curator of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre, led to the publication of Sahat’s first photobook. What began as a small, personal initiative quickly grew into something much bigger, a collective movement that resonated deeply within the camps.

Soon, over 30 Rohingya photographers, writers, and artists joined hands, united by a shared purpose: to represent their community in their own words and images, ensuring that their experiences were documented from within.

Today, this collective has expanded significantly, boasting more than 60 Rohingya photographers from different parts of the sprawling refugee camp, each contributing their unique perspective.

The Architects of Storytelling: Faces Behind the Lens and Pen

The success and impact of Rohingyatographer are undeniably rooted in the dedication and passion of its individual members. These are not merely photographers; they are storytellers, chroniclers, and activists, using their art as a powerful tool for change. Among the many committed individuals who have shaped this collective are:

Ahtharam Shin: A deeply committed writer, storyteller, freelancer, and human rights activist whose words bring depth and context to the visual narratives.
Ro Yassin Abdumonab: A devoted Rohingya photographer, journalist, storyteller, freelancer, and human rights activist, whose keen eye captures raw emotion and truth.
Ro BM Hairu: A passionate human rights activist, photographer, freelancer, and storyteller, dedicated to amplifying the community’s voice through compelling visuals.
Enayat Ullah: A dedicated Rohingya artist, storyteller, and photographer, whose artistic vision enriches the collective’s diverse output.
Ishrat Bibi: A dedicated Rohingya Photographer and Storyteller, providing a crucial female perspective and capturing the nuances of women’s lives in the camps.

Many other committed individuals, whose names may not always appear in headlines but whose contributions are invaluable, have also played a crucial role in building this collective effort, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose that transcends individual aspirations.

Global Acclaim: From Refugee Camps to International Stages

Over time, the world began to truly notice the powerful storytelling emerging from Cox’s Bazar. Rohingyatographer’s raw, authentic narratives caught the attention of major international organizations and prestigious cultural bodies, leading to significant recognitions that underscored their growing influence.

In a landmark year for the collective, 2023, Sahat Zia Hero received both the prestigious Prince Claus Seeds Award and the highly esteemed UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award, individual accolades that shone a spotlight on the collective’s broader impact.

The collective itself earned an Honourable Mention at the ZEKE Awards by the Social Documentary Network, a testament to their compelling visual journalism. Their work further distinguished them as finalists for the Insight Award for Visual Journalism by the Institute for Nonprofit News in 2024.

Later that year, they proudly received the Casa Asia Award for their outstanding contribution to diversity, inclusion, and sustainable development. These achievements were far more than just awards; they were irrefutable proof that the Rohingya, so often seen only as victims of circumstance, could also be seen as profound storytellers, accomplished artists, and powerful voices of hope on a global stage.

Driven by these successes, Rohingyatographer deepened its core mission: to utilize photography not just as a form of artistic expression but as a potent tool for the empowerment and advocacy of the entire Rohingya community.

The collective actively focused on enhancing creativity among Rohingya youths, recognizing the transformative power of artistic skill. They prioritized the preservation of their rich cultural identity, ensuring that traditions, customs, and memories, often at risk in displacement, were documented and celebrated.

Crucially, they also committed to supporting education and creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods through content creation, equipping community members with valuable skills for the future.

By meticulously documenting their daily lives, their enduring traditions, and their fervent dreams, they presented the world with an intimate, nuanced portrayal of the beauty, resilience, and profound humanity of a community too often hidden behind generalized headlines of suffering.

Showcasing Resilience: Exhibitions and Publications That Travel the World

Rohingyatographer’s powerful storytelling quickly found prominent platforms across the world, bringing their unique perspective to diverse audiences. In 2022, a significant milestone was reached when Rohingyatographer was selected for the prestigious Head On Photo Festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia—one of the world’s largest and most respected photo festivals.

Among 600 international photographers, the Rohingyatographer exhibition stood out, attracting an astounding 425,000 visitors. The exhibition thoughtfully showcased themes vital to the Rohingya experience: memory, faith, hope, grief, craftsmanship, and unwavering resilience.

It featured the poignant work of Rohingya Photographers from different camps, who collectively captured both the profound challenges and the enduring beauty of life within the refugee camps, offering a comprehensive and deeply personal insight.

Building on that remarkable momentum, Rohingyatographer organized a second major exhibition at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Curated by Core Members of Rohingyatographer, this exhibition explored the Rohingya community’s profound relationship with nature, their remarkable resilience against environmental challenges, and the deep inspiration drawn from Bangladesh’s own historical experience of displacement during the 1971 Liberation War.

It was a deeply emotional and resonant project, forging a powerful connection between two distinct histories of suffering, survival, and enduring hope, showcasing the universal threads of human experience.

Meanwhile, the collective continued its vital publishing work, recognizing the importance of print media in preserving and disseminating their stories. In 2022, they launched the highly anticipated first issue of Rohingyatographer Magazine, a biannual, non-profit publication specifically designed to showcase Rohingya life through authentic photography and heartfelt storytelling.

The inaugural issue intently focused on themes of identity, meticulously capturing the memories, cherished traditions, and resilient dreams of the displaced community. In early 2023, the second issue was released, aptly titled “The Elements,” centered around the Rohingya people’s intimate relationship with nature, exploring how their lives are intertwined with the environment even within the confines of the camp.

Most recently, in December 2024, the highly anticipated third issue, titled “Food for Thought,” was published, offering a rich visual ethnography of the Rohingya people’s unique food culture and the profound resilience it represents in the face of scarcity.

Each issue of the magazine is a labor of love, meticulously created by talented Rohingya youth, with any income generated meticulously reinvested into future storytelling initiatives, ensuring the collective’s self-sustainability and continued impact. The magazine serves as a powerful testament to Rohingya self-representation, fostering skills development and promoting participatory storytelling from within the community.

Celebrating Innovation: The Rohingyatographer Photo Awards 2024

One of the collective’s proudest and most inspiring milestones came in early 2024, when they launched the first-ever Rohingyatographer Photo Awards within the confines of the refugee camp itself. Held at the Tika office in Camp-16, the event resonated with the theme “Creativity & Innovation,” and drew an impressive participation from 63 photographers who submitted a staggering 933 photographs.

From this vast pool of talent, the most outstanding works were meticulously selected and celebrated, proving once again that profound creativity not only survives but thrives even in the most challenging and constrained environments. The Photo Awards were a powerful and emotional reminder that the Rohingya story is not solely one of displacement and suffering. Still, also one of profound hope, boundless creativity, and an unbreakable will to move forward, to imagine and build a future.

The 2024 Rohingyatographer Photo Awards specifically recognized 10 finalists and 3 overall winners for their exceptional artistic vision, demonstrable resilience, and groundbreaking creativity.

Their work beautifully highlighted the unique ability of the Rohingya people to find beauty, hope, and innovation, even in the face of profound hardship, showcasing the inherent strength and indomitable spirit of a community determined to tell its own authentic story.

The three winners captivated the jury with their distinct yet equally powerful narratives:

Hafizu Rahman, the first-place winner, submitted a photograph that instantly captured hearts. His winning image captures a group of children deeply engaged in a delicate art project, their small hands meticulously knitting together vibrant flowers. The photograph vividly celebrates the power of creativity and teamwork, with the jury particularly praising the intense focus on the children’s faces and the palpable shared sense of purpose that unites them. This picture beautifully reflects the overarching themes of imagination, collaboration, and inherent resilience.
Jaitun Ara, the second-place winner, offered a profoundly poignant photograph. Her image portrays a child intently studying within the dark, confined frame of his shelter, having found a quiet refuge in a neighbor’s home to find a place to learn. The image’s creative composition, with a striking shaft of light cutting through the shadows, powerfully symbolizes the boy’s relentless quest for knowledge amidst profound adversity. The jury deeply admired the rich symbolism, the unique perspective, and the undeniable sense of hope that emanates from this deeply moving image.
Md. Zubair, the third-place winner, contributed a photograph that bursts with pure joy. His image captures the delightful moment of a young boy blowing a giant bubble, surrounded by other children whose faces are filled with boundless curiosity and wonder. The ephemeral bubble, a potent symbol of fleeting hopes and vibrant dreams, evokes an imaginative world where possibilities seem endless, even in challenging circumstances. The jury celebrated this photograph for its inherent playfulness, its evident creativity, and its remarkable ability to spark the imagination of both the children within the frame and the viewers alike.

Preserving Heritage: The Cultural Food Event

On April 26, 2025, Rohingyatographer extended its mission beyond photography, hosting a special Cultural Food Event designed to celebrate and preserve the rich culinary traditions of the Rohingya people. The event featured a vibrant array of traditional food items, each meticulously prepared and presented, representing a tangible piece of history, cultural identity, and collective pride.

Through this vibrant celebration of food, the deep-rooted heritage of the Rohingya was honored, while simultaneously showcasing the community’s collective talents in documenting these stories through both taste and visuals.

This event was intimately connected to the third magazine issue, “Food for Thought,” which specifically focuses on preserving the unique tastes and cherished traditions of the Rohingya for future generations.

As Rohingyatographer continues its journey, stories are shared through the powerful mediums of photos, the unifying experience of food, and the unbreakable bond of unity, constantly reminding the world that even as refugees, the Rohingya possess a powerful voice and a unique, dignified way of representing their daily life, their enduring culture, and their difficult exodus.

This event powerfully symbolizes the ongoing effort to bring positive change and foster deeper unity within the community, steadfastly supported by those who stand in solidarity with them.

A Journey of Unbreakable Spirit

Through every project, every exhibition, every award received, and every single photograph taken, Rohingyatographer has unequivocally shown that the Rohingya are not simply passive victims of history—they are active artists, meticulous historians, and passionate dreamers, fully capable of documenting their own existence with profound dignity and undeniable beauty.

What started as a small, hopeful initiative confined within the boundaries of the refugee camps has truly burgeoned into a global movement, powerfully led by the very youth who courageously refuse to let their voices be silenced or their identities erased.

As Rohingyatographer continues to grow and expand its reach, it stands as a testament to the unbreakable spirit of a people who, despite facing unimaginable hardship and profound loss, consistently choose to tell their own story—one powerful photograph, one cherished memory, and one resilient dream at a time.

Their journey serves as a vital reminder to us all that every community, regardless of circumstance, deserves the fundamental right to define itself, to articulate its truth, and that even in the darkest and most challenging places, the human spirit unfailingly finds a way to shine.

Their journey continues, driven by the simple yet profound truth that resonates in every image and every narrative: AÑRÁ ROHINGYA — We are Rohingya.

The Editorial Team of Rohingyatographer:

Sahat Zia Hero – Founder/Editor/Mentor
David Palazon – Producer/Curator/Editor
Ro Yassin Abdumonab – Mentor/Advisor
Ahtaram Shin – Writer/Editor/Mentor
Ishrat Bibi – Curator/Editor
Enayet Khan – Art Director/Curator
Ro BM Hairu – Social Media/Editor

Key Members of the Rohingyatographer Collective (Partial List):

Ahtaram Shin, Ak Mohammed Sadek, Anayat Ullah, Anowar Solim, Anuwar Sadek, Ayub Khan DKL, Bans Kafayat Ntd, Dil Kayas, Enayet Khan, Hujjat Ullah, Ishrat Bibi, Jaitun Ara, Janifa, Khaleda Begum, Khaleda Lobid, Kyaw Thein Tin, Maung Emdadul Hasan, Maung Hla Myint Arafat, Mayyu Khan, Mohammed Arafat, Md Ederis, Md Faruk, Md Hasson, Md Hossain, Md Imran, Mohammed Junaid, Md Shahad Abdumonab, Md Shaker, Md Yakub, Md Zubair, Mijanur Rahman, Minara, Mizana, Moreyam, Neyamot Ullah, Nur Begum, Omar Khan, Omar Salma, Pan Thar, Parmin Fatema, RB Hafizu, Ro Anamul Hassan, Ro Anas, Ro Arfat Khan, Ro Alfaz Khan, Ro BM Hairu, Ro Harez Khan, Ro Mon Sur Ali, Ro Rezaul Islam, Ro Yassin Abdumonab, Sabekur Nahar, Sadek Husein, Sahat Zia Hero, Saiful Hoque, Salamat Ullah, SM Riaz Uddin, SR Reyes, Suhaima, Umme Salma, Umme Kulsum, WR Wares.

Significant Media Coverage (Selected Highlights):

2025: Kings College London (Imaging Peace), Nationalia, The Guardian (What Trump’s assault on USAid means for the world – podcast), Observer Diplomat (Food as Resistance), Reuters (UN plans to halve rations), New Humanitarian, New Internationalist, Norwegian Refugee Council, Frankfurter Rundschau, MR | Traveller, El Diario / EFE (Sustenance and resistance), The Photoblographer.
2024: NPR (Whatever happened to …), Institute for Nonprofit News, Melting Pot Europa (Unseen Courage: Through the eyes of Rohingya women), BBC (Jersey exhibition), Jersey Overseas Aid, Artbreath, Aljazeera (Photos: The world’s displaced), New Internationalist (Cyclone Remal), Amnesty International, Instick, Melting Pot Europa (The Forgotten Rohingya Genocide), 360, One World, Many Voices, Muslim Views, The Guardian (‘I can’t speak but my photos do’), Postimees, ZEKE Magazine, MSF (Doctors Without Borders), Boom Saloon, Der Spiegel.
2023: El Confidecial, El Diario, Broadsheet, Radio France Internationale, NPR (Photos: This is life in the world’s largest refugee camp), DVB, UNHCR (With photographs, words, and deeds), MSF, UNHCR Netherlands Magazine, PYO Asia, Conversations on Genocide, Dhaka Tribune (Hope away from home), F-Stop Magazine, Reasons to be Cheerful, Aljazeera, SBS Dateline, Himal SouthAsian, The Observers, Die Zeit, Minority Rights, The National, The Business Standard, The Daily Star, Daily Sun.
2022: Aljazeera (‘Through our own eyes’), The Guardian (‘This is our documentary…’), The Guardian (Women behind the lens), Blurb, The Eye of Photography, Anadolu Agency, NBC News, Visual Rebellion, Mizzima News from Myanmar, Migrant Voice, UNHCR.

Exhibitions of Rohingyatographer (Selected Highlights):

2025: Imaging Peace (Kings College London), Finding Refuge (Musée de la Civilisation, Quebec).
2024: Refugees, Immigrants, and Coexistence (Voice Beyond Borders, Seoul), Dreams of Freedom, Huriye, Azadi (Harvard Divinity School), The Rohingya Experience (Jersey), The Art of Exile (Bangkok Arts & Cultural Centre), Resilience (Cox’s Bazar Cultural Centre), Photoville (Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York), Unbowed. Unbroken. Portraits of Cultural Resilience (Bridge Gallery, Massachusetts), The Art of Exile: documenting the displacement of Myanmar’s Forced Migrants (University of California), Through Rohingya Eyes: A Journey of Resilience (Social Documentary Network).
2023: FELIFA (Haroldo Conti Cultural Memory Centre, Argentina), Jasbaa. The Art of Rohingya Refugee Resistance (Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, Canada), Resistance, Resilience, Remeberance (Rohingya Centre of Canada, Ontario), Life through Rohingya Eyes (Liberation War Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh), Leipzig Photobook Festival (GRASSI Museum for Applied Arts, Germany).
2022: We are Rohingya (Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, Australia), We are Rohingya (Cox’s Bazar Cultural Memory Centre, Bangladesh), We are Rohingya (Liberation War Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh), Añrá Rohingya (Virtual Exhibition on World Refugee Day).

Publication Links for Rohingyatographer Magazine: