Rohingya Refugees Marking The International Mother Language Day In Cox’s Bazar

We launched our participatory research report “First They Targeted Our Culture and Language” on November 16, 2022 through the Fort.

The 54-page report spotlighted the importance of preserving and protecting the Rohingya language which is gradually losing in the refugee camps, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Following the report launch, the rapid shifting of the Rohingya mother language in the refugee camps became a grave concern for the Rohingya refugee community in Cox’s Bazar. On February 21, 2022, thousands of Rohingya refugees including students and teachers joined the marking of the international mother language day in the refugee camps.

The Rohingya refugees organized few events in different refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. They were holding banners in English, Burmese and Rohingya and chanted slogan for the importance of protecting and preserving the Rohingya mother language in the refugee camps, Cox’s Bazar. They also demanded the following concerns;

• The Myanmar military must immediately stop the policy of cultural oppression against Rohingya in Myanmar
• The Government of Bangladesh must allow Rohingya refugees to perform cultural and linguistic freedom in the refugee camps
• The Rohingya community in the refugee camps and beyond must protect and preserve the mother language