By RO Maung Shwe
A Childhood Marked by Tragedy
Nur Kashim, a 13-year-old Rohingya refugee boy, is the son of the late Shah Alam and Morium Khatun. Originally from Yang Chaung Taungbazar village in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, his life has been shaped by unimaginable hardship and loss.
From an early age, he witnessed his family’s struggle for survival in an environment filled with uncertainty and fear. The loss of his father left a deep void, forcing him to step into responsibilities far beyond his years.
Life in Myanmar Before the Genocide
In their village, a large military cantonment housed thousands of soldiers. Nur Kashim’s father was a small businessman who ran a family shop, selling essential items like betel nuts, dry fish, chili, salt, and other necessities.
Military personnel frequently purchased goods, sometimes paying on time but often leaving debts unpaid. The village, near the Mayyu Hill area, was remote, making essential goods scarce. To sustain the business, his father traveled to Sittway or Maungdaw townships to procure supplies.
In 2017, amid the mass killings, gang rapes, and torture of the Rohingya, Nur Kashim’s father went to the military cantonment to collect his unpaid debts.
He was told to return another day. When he did, he never came back. The family later learned that he had been killed by the military. Soon after, their village was engulfed in violence, forcing the Rohingya to flee their ancestral homeland.
A Journey of Survival
Along with other villagers, Nur Kashim and his family embarked on a perilous journey to safety. They spent 24 grueling days traveling through the treacherous Mayyu Hill area, facing extreme hunger and exhaustion.
The path was filled with the bodies of children, elderly people, and pregnant women who did not survive the journey. After crossing the hills, they encountered another devastating obstacle: a Rakhine civilian village, where looters stripped them of their remaining possessions, including money and gold, and killed many Rohingya.
Finally, they reached the Bangladesh border, where they boarded a small fishing boat to cross the Naf River. During the crossing, the boat capsized, and three people, including Nur Kashim’s little sister, drowned.
His sister had been the pride and joy of their family, but like so many others, her life was cut short by the brutality of genocide.
After enduring unimaginable hardship, the survivors were welcomed by the Bangladeshi government and civilians, who provided food, clothing, drinking water, and shelter.
This kindness came after they had gone over 20 days without proper food. The horrors that Nur Kashim witnessed in Myanmar will forever remain in his memory. The Rohingya people continue to express deep gratitude for the support they received from Bangladesh during their darkest hours.
Life in the Refugee Camp
Now, Nur Kashim and his family live in the world’s largest and most overcrowded refugee camp, in a small tarpaulin shelter. The World Food Program (WFP) provides monthly rations, but these are barely enough to sustain the family.
Initially, they received additional necessities, but now only food is provided, leaving them to manage other essentials like vegetables, clothing, and household supplies on their own.
As the eldest son in a family of five, Nur Kashim bears the responsibility of supporting his mother and siblings. His mother, a widow, has no means of earning an income in the camp. Despite his strong desire for education, he has had to put his studies aside to work.
NGO-run schools in the camp do not offer structured, curriculum-based education. Community-based schools run by dedicated Rohingya teachers provide better education, but they require monthly fees that his family cannot afford.
As a result, he has been left with no choice but to work and help his family survive.
A Child Forced to Work
Today, Nur Kashim takes on whatever work he can find in the camp—carrying gas cylinders, rice packages, vegetables, and shopping materials for people.
On good days, he earns between 100 to 200 Taka, which helps cover some of his family’s basic expenses. Though he dreams of going back to school, his reality demands that he work to keep his family from starving.
Conclusion
Nur Kashim’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the resilience and strength of children forced into labor due to circumstances beyond their control.
His journey—from a peaceful village to a life of violence and displacement—highlights the urgent need for global intervention to protect Rohingya children.
While he works tirelessly to provide for his family, his dreams of education and a better future remain alive, symbolizing hope amidst despair.
The international community must take responsibility to ensure that children like Nur Kashim are given the opportunities they deserve—to rebuild their lives, escape child labor, and reclaim their future.
