Hindu Rohingya refugees living in the Kutupalong camp in Ukhiya received gifts from the government on Tuesday as Bangladesh marked Sharadiya Durga Puja, underscoring the importance of religious freedom and peaceful coexistence in one of the world’s largest refugee settlements.
Mohammad Saiful Islam, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, distributed gift items among members of the Hindu community at West Para of Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Md Abdul Halim, chief (joint secretary) of the Refugee Cell, the secretary’s private secretary and the camp-in-charge of Camp 1W attended the programme.
Although the overwhelming majority of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are Muslim, a small Hindu community has also sought refuge in the country after fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Their presence highlights the diversity within the displaced population and the importance of ensuring that minority communities receive protection and can practise their religion without discrimination.
According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, Hindu families fleeing Myanmar’s violence in 2017 included survivors from villages in northern Rakhine State whose homes were burned and relatives killed. Many eventually found shelter in Bangladesh, where humanitarian agencies and local supporters helped them rebuild their lives.
The Hindu Rohingya community has continued to observe Durga Puja in the refugee settlements. Reports from previous years documented celebrations in Kutupalong, reflecting the community’s determination to preserve its religious and cultural traditions despite displacement and uncertainty.
For these families, the festival is not merely a religious occasion; it is also an opportunity to maintain their cultural identity and community ties while living far from their homeland.
Bangladesh hosts close to one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom live in densely populated camps in Cox’s Bazar. The prolonged displacement has placed significant pressure on humanitarian services, making protection, assistance and the dignity of vulnerable groups persistent concerns.
The gift distribution reflects the government’s stated commitment to humanitarian values, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.
The RRRC extended its greetings to the Hindu community on Durga Puja, emphasising solidarity, compassion and respect across religious boundaries.
Ensuring that minority refugees can celebrate their religious festivals safely and with dignity remains an important part of an inclusive humanitarian response—one that recognises the rights and humanity of every displaced person, regardless of faith.
