Incredible aerial photographs have revealed the true scale of the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, in which people live in makeshift homes after fleeing from oppression in Myanmar.
The huge Kutupalong refugee camp is spread over five square miles and is home to over one million Rohingya refugees, many of whom live in fear of criminal gangs or reprisals from Bangladesh police.
Azim Khan Ronnie (35), a photographer from Dhaka in Bangladesh captured these images early in the year.
The pictures depict the thousands upon thousands of houses in vibrant colours and the winding streets between them that are barely big enough to be walked down. They give the illusion of an enormous, sprawling tapestry from the top.
Amazing drone photos show Bangladesh’s largest refugee camp. Over one million Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar to seek refuge in Kutupalong’s five-square mile Kutupalong refugee Camp.
Pictured: Rohingya Muslim refugees wait to be called to recieve food aid of rice, water, and cooking oil in a relief centre at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar on November 28, 2017 (file photo)
Pictured: Rohingya refugees from Myanmar’s Rakhine state wait for aid at Kutupalong refugee camp in the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf on September 5, 2017 (file photo)
Pictured: A young girl holds a small child on a dirt pathway running between makeshift houses in the Kutupalong refugee camp, the largest refugee camp in the world. These homes can be waterproofed with plastic roofing.
Children from Rohingya refugees play in flood water at Kutupalong’s Rohingya refugee camp, Bangladesh on Wednesday, July 28th, 2021. Many thousands of people were left homeless by heavy rainfalls earlier in the year.
Ronnie explained that there are thousands of such makeshift houses in the photos. “The rows of houses in red, green, and white are homes to people fleeing violence at home in Myanmar.
The perfect shots were taken over the course of a whole day. This is an incredible surreal experience to photograph, but it’s something I’m glad that I was able to see.
Rohingya, a Muslim group that includes more than 700,000. They fled violence and persecution in Myanmar, their neighbour, in August 2017.
Bangladesh has been sheltering 1.1 million of the refugees in crowded camps near its coast, such as Kutupalong, that has over the years grown to become the largest in the world, and like a city in its own right.
Rohingya citizens aren’t recognized in Myanmar Buddhist-majority Myanmar. This renders them stateless and exposes them to other forms state-sanctioned discrimination, violence, and harassment.
Ronnie’s drone photographs show bright orange main roads that run through Kutupalong camp like winding rivers, with smaller and narrower off-shoots – like tributaries – reaching deeper into the densely packed camp.
Also, the camp can be divided by waterways. The makeshift homes are constructed around the camps, taking advantage of all available ground space.
Clear, white, made of plastic sheeting roofs seem to be preferred by camp residents. However, pockets of brick, red, and blue roofs are also visible grouped in smaller groups.
Meanwhile, people can be seen milling about on the streets and between the buildings, and look like ants moving through the grass when observed from far above the camp.
Twinkling lights replace bright colours at night. You can still see the streetlights along the main roads, and some houses in the camp have them lit. Others remain in darkness.
Pictured is an aerial view of Kutupalong, which shows makeshift houses and orange-dirt roads, as well as a flowing waterway. Over one million Rohingya refugees live in this huge camp, which covers 5 miles.
Twinkling lights replace the bright colours in the camp at night. While the main streets are visible, they are lined with streetlights. Some of the homes are also lit. Others remain in darkness
These drone photographs show bright orange main roads that run through Kutupalong camp like winding rivers, with smaller and narrower off-shoots – like tributaries – reaching deeper into the densely packed camp
Clear white roofing, made out of plastic sheeting, seems to be preferred by the camp’s inhabitants. But, pockets of red, blue, and green roofs are also possible to be seen in smaller groups. Photo: The camp has green and white roofing
From above, people can be seen milling about on the streets and between the buildings, and look like ants moving through the grass when observed from far above the camp
Pictured: Rohingya refugees renovate makeshift houses at Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia district on August 23, 2019
On September 13th 2019, Rohingya children played football in the Kutupalong refugee camps in Ukhia. They are precariously perched on hills with wooden scaffolding.
Pictured: The Kutupalong refugee camp stretches as far as the eye can see in this aerial photograph from February 2018. Bangladesh has provided shelter for 1.1 Million Rohingya refugees within crowded camps along its coast such as Kutupalong
Pictured: A Rohingya refugee man stands before Kutupalong camp in Ukhia near Cox’s Bazar on August 13, 2018
It is breathtakingly stunning from high above but it’s the dark conditions that make the camp look grim.
The millions of people living there are crowded together and in terrible conditions. This makes social isolation difficult during the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Photographs taken from ground level show the basic structures made from jagged material. They are very small and often flooding, so residents have to walk through the water to access the camp.
After fleeing violence in Myanmar at their home, the refugees are now facing new threats from the camp, in the form criminal groups, formed by local residents. Also, the Bangladeshi police work relentlessly against them.
Al Jazeera reports that some camp residents claimed they were subject to violence from an armed group in their community.
In response to the killing of prominent Rohingya activist Mohibullah – who was shot dead at close range by gunmen at his office in the camp in September – Bangladeshi security forces are said to have launched a crackdown, with Bangladesh’s foreign minister saying ‘no one will be spared’.
Since then, more than 170 Rohingya have been arrested as part of the brutal crackdown.
But the refugees told Al Jazeera that the murder has become a pretext for Bangladeshi forces to be aggressive towards them, with allegations of violence, blackmail, extortion and sexual assault being made against them.
The allegations were rejected by Chief Naimal Huq, Armed Police Battalion Bangladesh.
Pictured: Rohingya refugees build a school at Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh December 4, 2017
Photograph taken by Rohingyas on the 7th of October 2017. They are seen walking along the elevated path at Kutupalong refugee Camp in Bangladeshi district Ukhia.
Pictured: In this handout image supplied by the Jordanian Royal Court, Queen Rania of Jordan meets Rohingya muslim refugees during her visit to the Kutupalong camp on October 23, 2017 in Ukhia, Bangladesh
Rohingya refugees walk through Kutupalong refugee Camp in Bangladesh’s Ukhia District on October 7, 2017.
At the Kutupalong refugee Camp in Ukhia, Rohingya refugees offer prayers during an event to commemorate the first anniversary of a brutal military crackdown on Myanmar that led to a mass exodus of thousands of people to Bangladesh. The ceremony was held at Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Ukhia, August 25, 2018.
Rohingya refugees march to the Kutupalong refugee camps in Ukhia to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the military crackdown which prompted mass exodus from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
An Rohingya refugee is seen outside Kutupalong refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh on October 22, 2017,
In the meantime, Bangladesh is moving hundreds of Rohingya from Bangladesh to an island off the Bay of Bengal despite protests by rights groups about the conditions on this vulnerable island.
UN sponsored investigation recommended in 2018 that Myanmar’s military commanders be prosecuted on war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity charges for their violence against Rohingya.
Mohammad Shamsud Douza (a senior Bangladeshi official) said that a navy vessel would transport 379 refugees from Chattogram City to Bhashanchar Island off Bangladesh’s southern coast.
They are not forced to move there. He explained to the Associated Press that all the 379 refugees had chosen to reside there in order for a better, more secure life. He said that the authorities will provide all necessary services, including food and medical care.
According to government officials, Rohingya refugees arrived on the island eleven months ago.
According to Mr Douza, 1,500 refugees would be transferred to the island over the coming weeks in stages. About 19,000 refugees were previously relocated from Cox’s Bazar, where over a million Rohingya refugee from Myanmar are residing in cramped camps.
Pictured in February 2018, as the sun sets on the Kutupalong Refugee Camp’s makeshift homes
Pictured: Rohingya refugees carry supplies at Kutupalong refugee camp, near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, November 20, 2017
Pictured: A low-lying pitch for sports is used by children to play amongst the homes in the Kutupalong Camp.
Pictured: Rohingya refugees shelter under umbrellas as they walk along a path during a monsoon rainfall at Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia on July 23, 2019
While the government insists that this relocation arrangement is temporary and the migrants eventually have to return to Myanmar, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she would not forcibly force refugees to go back.
To facilitate refugees arriving on the island, the UN signed an October agreement with Bangladesh. The UN, along with other organizations, had previously criticised the move, claiming that the island was too submerged by the monsoon rains and not suitable for human habitation.
The government has spent more than 112 million dollars (£84 million) on development, adding sea walls, hospitals, schools and mosques.
UN agreements allow for closer cooperation with the government in order to provide services and assistance for island residents.
Concerns have been voiced by rights groups over these plans. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies urged urgent action this week to safeguard the refugees from the cyclones and Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged Bhashan Char Island.
The Red Crescent of Bangladesh had been working with refugees to ensure that lifesaving measures were in place for the next big Cyclone. These big storms threaten the Bay of Bengal every September through December.
According to the report, vaccinations were already underway for all people over 55 years old on the island. More doses will be required for any remaining adult.