Trapped in protected refugee camps: 'please help me to survive'

This article reports on a Bangladeshi researcher's perceptions of the resettlement of Rohingya refugees in a protected camp in Bangladesh. The first author visited and interviewed a group of Rohingya refugees to learn about their experiences and perceptions about resettlement in Bangladesh. Notes were taken from interviews and observations conducted to gain insights into the physical and emotional state of the refugees. Significant problems were documented that were associated with poor living conditions, apparent resentment from the local community towards the refugees and a building-up of atrocious circumstances that these peoples face on a daily basis. This article offers a partial lens into these conditions that appear to be worsening. Implications for schooling of children and young women are discussed. Questions are raised about global responsibility for refugees who are part of the social and cultural fabric of communities abroad and in Australia.