Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Every morning, as the sun rises over the vast Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, thousands of children wake up to a day not filled with school lessons or playtime but with the struggle to secure the most basic necessity of life-clean water.
Instead of carrying books, they carry empty containers, walking long distances to the nearest water source in a desperate attempt to collect enough for their families.
The images from the camps paint a heartbreaking reality: barefoot children, covered in dust and sweat, pump water from a shared hand pump, hoping to fill their small buckets before the limited supply runs out.
Others wait in long queues, some standing in contaminated puddles, uncertain if the water they bring home will be safe to drink. With few reliable water sources, this daily struggle defines their existence one that is marked by hardship, deprivation, and an uncertain future.
Water Scarcity in the Rohingya Camps
For the more than one million Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar and took shelter in Bangladesh, water scarcity has remained one of the biggest challenges.
The densely populated camps lack a stable and sufficient water supply, forcing families to rely on hand pumps, wells, and, in some cases, contaminated streams and stagnant water pools. The problem worsens during the dry season when groundwater levels drop, making it even harder for refugees to access enough clean water.
Despite efforts from humanitarian organizations, the demand for water far exceeds the supply. In some areas of the camp, water distribution by aid agencies is irregular, leaving refugees to fend for themselves.
Many families store water in plastic containers, but with limited access, they are forced to ration their usage sometimes surviving on less than a few liters per day.
Water is not just needed for drinking; it is essential for cooking, bathing, and maintaining hygiene.
But for many Rohingya families, these basic necessities remain a luxury. In overcrowded camps with inadequate sanitation facilities, poor hygiene conditions lead to the spread of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and skin infections, further endangering the already vulnerable refugee population.
Health Risks and Sanitation Concerns
The lack of clean water is not just an inconvenience it is a matter of life and death. Contaminated water sources and poor sanitation have led to recurring outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the camps.
Children, who are particularly vulnerable due to malnutrition and weak immune systems, suffer the most. Many develop infections and illnesses that go untreated due to the limited availability of medical facilities.
Women and girls also face additional challenges. Without sufficient water for proper hygiene, they struggle with menstrual health management, increasing their risk of infections. Many feel unsafe using public latrines at night due to inadequate lighting and security, forcing them to limit their water intake to avoid having to leave their shelters.
A Childhood Lost to Survival
For most children around the world, childhood is a time of learning, play, and dreams. But for Rohingya children, survival takes priority over everything else.
While their peers in other countries sit in classrooms, Rohingya children spend their days carrying heavy water containers, walking through muddy paths and garbage-filled streams.
Education, which should be a fundamental right, becomes an afterthought for many refugee families struggling to meet their daily needs.
Although some learning centers exist in the camps, they are overcrowded, underfunded, and unable to accommodate all children. Many parents choose to send their children to work instead of school, believing that securing food and water is more important than education.
As a result, an entire generation of Rohingya children is growing up without access to proper schooling, limiting their future opportunities and deepening the cycle of poverty.
The Humanitarian Response: Challenges and Gaps
Over the years, humanitarian organizations and the Bangladesh government have made efforts to improve the water and sanitation situation in the camps.
Water tanks have been installed in some areas, and sanitation projects have been launched to improve drainage systems. However, the scale of the crisis remains overwhelming.
Funding shortages have led to delays in critical projects, and the growing refugee population has put additional pressure on already limited resources.
With global attention shifting to other crises, aid for the Rohingya has decreased, making it even harder to implement long-term solutions.
One of the biggest challenges is finding sustainable water sources.
The groundwater levels in Cox’s Bazar are depleting due to over-extraction, and relying on surface water from rivers or rainwater collection is not a viable long-term solution. More investment is needed in innovative water management systems, such as deep tube wells, water purification plants, and desalination technology.
The Urgent Need for Action
The struggle of Rohingya children for clean water is a reminder of the larger humanitarian crisis that has been ongoing for years. As the world’s attention shifts elsewhere, their suffering continues in silence.
The international community must not abandon the Rohingya people in their time of need.
Immediate action is needed to ensure that every refugee, especially children, has access to clean drinking water, proper sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
More resources should be allocated to improve water infrastructure, ensuring that no child has to walk miles every day just to collect a small amount of water.
At the same time, efforts must be made to provide quality education for Rohingya children. Without education, they will remain trapped in poverty and vulnerability, with no hope for a better future. Schools and vocational training programs must be expanded to give these children a chance to rebuild their lives.
Conclusion: A Call for Global Solidarity
The images of young Rohingya children struggling to fetch water should be a wake-up call for the world.
These children, who have already lost their homes and their rights in their own country, now face an even greater struggle for survival in refugee camps.
Their fight for clean water, education, and dignity is not just a Rohingya crisis it is a humanitarian crisis that concerns all of us.
The world must act with urgency, compassion, and commitment to ensure that these children do not become a lost generation.
For now, as another day begins in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, young Rohingya children will wake up to the same harsh reality another long walk to fetch water, another day without school, and another battle for survival.
Until meaningful action is taken, their suffering will continue, and their voices will remain unheard.
BNA News: Giving Voice to the Rohingya Struggle
At BNA News, we remain committed to shedding light on the ongoing struggles of the Rohingya people.
We urge world leaders, humanitarian organizations, and the global community to stand in solidarity with the refugees and take meaningful action to improve their lives. The fight for clean water, education, and dignity is a fight for basic human rights and it must not be ignored.
