Burned Rohingya refugees: ‘The pain is unbearable’

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Inside the hospital treating Rohingya refugees

In a Bangladeshi hospital, Rohingya are treated for wounds sustained when the Myanmar army burned down their homes.

Mohammad Ullah, 30, Rohingya refugee gets treated at the district Sadar Hospital, Cox''s Bazar. Once the patient is treated and makes full recovery, they are sent back to the refugee camp for Rohingya — Rohingya refugee Mohammad Ullah, 30, is treated at Sadar Hospital in Cox's Bazar. Once a patient is ready to be discharged, they are sent back to the Rohingya refugee camp that is located approximately 90 kilometres from the hospital. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – An infant lies in his mother’s lap, wailing in pain, his torso, face and hands burned. A woman lies listless and seemingly alone in the corner. She, too, has burns all over her body.

Such scenes of suffering have become common at Sadar Hospital in the Bangladeshi port city of Cox’s Bazar. These patients are Rohingya refugees who have fled attacks by the Myanmar military in neighbouring Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

“The army came and burned down my house. I was inside the house at that time,” says one patient, 30-year-old Shahida Begum. “With no route to escape, I was also engulfed in the fire and my whole body sustained burns.”

“The pain is unbearable,” she explains. “It was better to die than suffer like this.”

Three of Shahida’s sons were killed two days before her house in the village of Rasidong was set on fire.

“Life will never be the same again,” she says.

Dildar Begum and her 10-year-old daughter, Noor Kolima, were admitted to the hospital five days ago and are the only survivors from their family. Dildar lost her husband, infant son and mother-in-law to the violence.

“My family was attacked on the 29th of August. The army came and fired indiscriminately,” Dildar says.

“My daughter and I somehow survived the attack, but the two monks accompanying the army men tried to kill us with a big knife. They thought we were dead and left us. We hid in the house for three days and then escaped.”

The journey they undertook to reach the border is a blur, she says. “I was in so much pain.”

Eight-year-old Mohammad Anas slipped and injured his face as he was fleeing Myanmar. His uncle, Syed Alam, is with him at the hospital.

“We are from Lankhali village, Mandua district and it was attacked three days before Eid,” Syed explains. “We escaped to the nearby hillock. We were 10 family members when we fled, but only six of us managed to reach here. I have no clue about what happened to the others.”

According to the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, an estimated 400,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25 in what is being called one of the “fastest growing refugee crises of recent years”.

8-year old Mohammad Anas gets treated for his facial injuries, he received while fleeing the army after they had attacked his village. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — Eight-year-old Mohammad Anas is treated for facial injuries he sustained while fleeing the Myanmar military after it attacked his village. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Shahida Begum, 40, lying on the bed in cox’s bar Sadar hospital, she has burn marks all over her body. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — Shahida Begum, 40, has burns all over her body. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Dolu Hussain, 50 is one of 39 Rohingya’s who are admitted in this hospital. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — Dolu Hussain, 50, is one of 39 Rohingya refugees who are currently admitted to the hospital. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Imaan Hussain, 48, from Dunzewara village, Myanmar recuperates in the hospital. He lost everything while fleeing and dreads the uncertainty and despair that awaits him outside the hospital premises. — Imaan Hussain, 48, from the village of Dunzewara in Myanmar recuperates in the hospital. He lost everything while fleeing and says he dreads the uncertainty and despair that awaits him beyond the hospital premises. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

X ray report of Imaan Hussain, 48, shows a bullet embedded in his leg. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — An x-ray of Imaan Hussain's leg shows a bullet embedded in it. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Saleem ullah, 26, survived after being shot by a bullet. He was shot in his left thigh. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — Saleem Ullah, 26, was shot in his left thigh. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Dildar Begum sits beside her injured 10-year old daughter, Noor. The duo are the only surviving members of their family. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — Dildar Begum sits beside her injured 10-year-old daughter, Noor. They are the only surviving members of their family. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Nurse Shakeeba, 25 attends to a patient. She has been working in the hospital for the past 9 months and was transferred to this ward ( the wards treating Rohingya refugees), 4 days back. She says, " T — Twenty-five-year-old Shakeeba has worked as a nurse at the hospital for the past nine months. She was transferred to this ward, which is one of six to eight that treat Rohingya refugees, four days ago. "There are enough medical supplies for the patients at the moment in the hospital, as the government is ensuring that they give a good supply," she says. "Medicines are also being supplied by the IOM [International Organization for Migration]." [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

An information board in the hospital room lists down the number of Rohingya refugees admitted in the hospital. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] — An information board at the hospital lists the number of Rohingya refugees admitted. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Suffering from severe burns, Mohammad Haris lies in the the lap of his mother, Khursheeda Begum. They are from Thami, Buchidong District. Khursheeda''s husband and 5 children are missing. They lost ea — Suffering from severe burns, Mohammad Haris lies in the lap of his mother, Khursheeda Begum. They are from Thami in Myanmar's Buchidong District. Khursheeda's husband and five children are missing. They became separated from them while fleeing the violence. 'I have no clue about their whereabouts but I have a strong feeling that they are alive,' she says. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]