By: Hafizur Rahman, Camp Correspondent
Solim Uddin once lived peacefully with his family in Maungdaw Township, in the northern part of Myanmar. He had a small family of three members and worked to provide for them. However, their peaceful life came to an abrupt end when fighting erupted between the Myanmar Military and the Arakan Army (AA). As the conflict escalated, Solim lost his father to a drone attack, leaving his family devastated and forced to flee for their safety.
The Devastating Day: May 2, 2024
On May 2, 2024, everything changed for Solim’s family. The day started like any other, with Solim assisting his father in the fields. However, tension had been rising in the village as the AA sought greater control over the region. That morning, AA soldiers stormed Hazir Bill village and warned the residents, saying, “We have to start a battle with the Myanmar Military, and you need to leave your village.”
Fear and confusion spread through the village. Many, including Solim’s father, were reluctant to leave their homes. Moments later, the AA launched an assault using drones and heavy artillery. In the chaos, a drone strike hit their home, killing Solim’s father, Ajimudin, instantly. Solim watched helplessly as their house was reduced to rubble, along with the life they had known.
Fleeing the Carnage
With their village in ruins, Solim, his wife, his children, and his mother had no choice but to flee. Leaving everything behind, they embarked on a perilous journey toward Bangladesh. They traveled through Maung Ni Para and other villages, but the journey was fraught with hardship. Food was scarce, and the price of rice had skyrocketed beyond what most families could afford. For three months, they endured hunger, exhaustion, and the constant threat of attacks.
As they moved, the AA continued its brutal campaign, using drones and heavy weaponry to target fleeing civilians. Solim witnessed hundreds of people being killed in front of him, their lives cut short in the ongoing violence.
The Naf River Massacre
In a desperate attempt to escape, Solim and his family, along with hundreds of others, reached the shores of the Naf River—the natural border between Myanmar and Bangladesh. However, the AA soldiers had stationed themselves along the riverbank, ready to fire upon anyone attempting to cross. Fear gripped them as they realized they were trapped.
A few minutes later, as desperate families tried to board small boats to cross the river, the AA unleashed another wave of attacks. Drones and heavy weapons targeted the fleeing civilians, and thousands were killed on the shores of the Naf River. Miraculously, after days of hiding and surviving on minimal food and water, Solim and his family managed to escape and continued their journey.
Reaching Bangladesh
On August 16, 2024, after months of suffering, Solim and his family finally arrived at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. The camp, one of the largest refugee settlements in the world, was overcrowded with others who had suffered similar fates. The rows of makeshift shelters and the cries of hungry children served as a painful reminder of all they had lost.
Life in the Refugee Camp
Life in the camp was far from easy. Now responsible for his wife, children, and elderly mother, Solim struggled to provide for them. They lived in a small, cramped shelter provided by a relative in Camp-2W. Food rations were limited, clean water was scarce, and access to medical care was difficult. The trauma of their journey haunted them, especially his mother, who had been emotionally and physically weakened by the loss of her husband.
Every night, Solim lay awake, replaying the horrors they had witnessed, wondering if there had been anything he could have done differently to save his father.
Holding onto Hope
Despite the overwhelming grief and hardship, Solim clung to hope. He dreamed of the day when peace would return to Myanmar, allowing his family to go back to their homeland. For now, they had no choice but to survive, endure, and carry the memory of their lost loved ones in their hearts.
