Archives (3rd December 2016): Cox's Bazar

01/12/18 01:09

Tomorrow, I am travelling to Cox’s Bazar, the town and the province of Bangladesh situated in south-eastern part of the country. Cox’s Bazar is home to some beautiful beaches, but it is also home to thousands and thousands of Rohingya refugees, who flee from violence Myanmar.

You may have read that there is a severe crisis in Myanmar these days, where Rohingya minority is being subjected to torture, killings, extortion, rape, humiliation and are prevented from enjoying basic rights (including access to health, schools, livelihoods, etc). The suffering of the Rohingya people is extraordinary, and no wonder that many decide fleeing their villages and look for safety.

Bangladesh receives majority of those who flee. As Bangladesh itself in not a wealthy country, clearly the influx of thousands of people is a substantial challenge for the nation. There are many agencies trying to help, and doing anything possible to meet the basic needs of the refugees and the host communities, but operations are sensitive and difficult.

I am slowly getting adjusted to my life in Dhaka. Things are slow, and lots of my personal logistics is still not sorted. I have severe movement limitations (no transport), which in Dhaka is a major issue, as the public transportation is far from reliable. Then again, it is a very interesting city and lovely people around, so all in all things are good.

Tahir seems to be holding well in Bangkok on his own. He has enrolled to a gym, and allegedly goes there every day. Except doing some exercises, he is also meeting new people, which is good, as he feels a bit less lonely, as we wait for outcomes of his resettlement applications.

Good news is that I am travelling to Bangkok on 11th December, and will spend some time with him, before travelling to Poland for Christmas.

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Archives (3rd December 2016): Cox's Bazar