How Aid Agencies neglect about 10,000 orphaned children like Dil Muhammad

By Ayub Khan DKL

In 2017, Dil Muhammad was four years old. Now almost 13, he lives as an orphan in a refugee camp in Taknaf, Cox’s Bazar. His is not a story of typical adolescence, but one defined by loss, trauma, and the systemic deprivation that pervades every aspect of their young lives.

He is one of an estimated 10,000 "unaccompanied children," who have lost both their parents. Dil Mohammed lost his parents when he was seven. He currently lives with his three sisters and one brother. Many orphans, including Dil Muhammad, report numerous difficulties such as living, caring, clothing, foods and psychological issues.

“After losing my parents, everything became extremely difficult,” he shared. “I feel alone because there is no one to guide me like before. I sometimes feel like I should have passed away with my parents instead of having to live without them.”

Although the core legal principle of the "Best Interests of the Child" (BIC) demands that every orphan’s physical and mental well-being must be prioritized, the reality for these young Rohingya is so devastating that they feel death is preferable. While NGOs report having robust systems and case workers for orphans, all the affected children state that there is no formal, legally appointed case worker or guardian to oversee their welfare, health, and rights.

Dil Muhammad stays with his brother, Noor Mohammed, who is a daily laborer. Noor Mohammed struggles greatly and cannot adequately support his own family, let alone his siblings.

Dil Muhammad's day is rigid. He wakes up in the early morning, around 6am, to attend Maktab [Basic Islamic class], and then goes to the UNICEF-run learning center at 2pm. He runs errands at home by fetching water from the communal tap stand and caring for his brother’s children, and only rarely gets to play with neighbors in the evening.

There is no indication that the orphans receive professional learning, playing, or emotional support from any agencies. These unstable living conditions and persistent emotional distress directly obstruct the orphans’ fundamental right to uninterrupted education.

“I could not attend tuition classes due to financial difficulties,” he stated. He also bold the lack of safe recreational areas, stating, “There are no proper spaces like playgrounds to play in the camp.”

While Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS), designed for play, drawing, and socialization, are showcased on social media, they are only present in a few camps. Dil Muhammad mentioned that there are indeed “no proper spaces like playgrounds to play in the camp, and we play in the street and garbage collecting places.”

The most immediate and critical failure is the lack of basic safety and adequate shelter. Dil Muhammad’s shelter is small, leaky, and miserable in extreme heat and cold.

“When it rains, water enters inside the shelter, along with many types of insects and bugs.”

It is far from the minimum standard of adequate and safe housing required under humanitarian law.

“I constantly do not feel safe in the camp,” he claimed. “At night, there is the fear of gunshots and fire whereas mom is not with me; during the day, there is the fear of accidents and kidnapping.”

This pervasive fear and traumatic experience is shared by all Rohingya children and parents in the camp. The tense camp situation and the lack of protection and safety are a daily reality for all refugees in Bangladesh. The so-called NGO monitoring and protection systems appear to be merely a pretense for the displaced people. The lack of an adequate standard of living is a constant threat to his well-being.

The orphans and common parents mentioned that they do not have enough food that is suitable for their health based on their age and season, nor do they have enough appropriate clothes.

“We don’t have enough clothes and can’t sleep in a comfortable, warm bed during the winter. The ground of the shelter is cement and mud floor. It gets wet and so cold.”

As a result, children and older people often suffer from swelling and various diseases.

Dil Muhammad likes English, drawing, and playing football. Sometimes, he cannot attend the learning center because he needs to help at home, and other times, he feels too stressed to study.

“I wish I could study properly like other children outside the camp and eventually become a teacher,” he said.

When he feels sad or lonely, he goes to play with friends, which helps him feel calm. One of his sisters provides him with the most emotional support, but she is also busy and tired with her own children.

“Nights are the hardest because I remember my parents and fear without them,” he said. Dil Muhammad’s message to the world is simple yet profound: “We are surviving, but we need more support and kindness. Orphans should not be forgotten.”

Edited By Ahtaram Shin