In pictures: Young mothers who fled Myanmar persecution

Updated On Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

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Asmot Ara, 18, holds her seven-day-old unnamed daughter as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Asmot Ara said she came to the camp one month ago with neighbours from Nagpura village in Myanmar after her father-in-law was killed and their home burnt down by the Myanmar military. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Asmot Ara, 18, holds her seven-day-old unnamed daughter as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Asmot Ara said she came to the camp one month ago with neighbours from Nagpura village in Myanmar after her father-in-law was killed and their home burnt down by the Myanmar military. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Noor Begum, 26, sits next to her one-day-old daughter Sumaiya as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Noor Begum came to the camp one-and-a-half months ago from Nagpura village with her husband Jahangir Alom. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Noor Begum, 26, sits next to her one-day-old daughter Sumaiya as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Noor Begum came to the camp one-and-a-half months ago from Nagpura village with her husband Jahangir Alom. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Marijaan, 20, holds her 25-day-old daughter Noor Habi as her son stands inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Marijaan fled to Bangladesh from Khyeri Prang village in Myanmar one month ago after her house was burnt down the by Myanmar military. ‘I reached the border at night and crossed by the boat. I paid the boatman to cross the Naf River,’ Marijaan said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Marijaan, 20, holds her 25-day-old daughter Noor Habi as her son stands inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Marijaan fled to Bangladesh from Khyeri Prang village in Myanmar one month ago after her house was burnt down the by Myanmar military. ‘I reached the border at night and crossed by the boat. I paid the boatman to cross the Naf River,’ Marijaan said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Fatema, 25, sits beside her one-day-old daughter Aasma in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, February 9, 2017. Fatema fled to Bangladesh from Jambuinna village in Myanmar two months ago after her house was burnt down by the military. She crossed Naf River by boat during the night. ‘Our situation is better than many other refugees as my husband Mohammad Alom works here as a day labourer. Many of the new refugees have no work here, so they have to rely on relief,’ Fatema said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Fatema, 25, sits beside her one-day-old daughter Aasma in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, February 9, 2017. Fatema fled to Bangladesh from Jambuinna village in Myanmar two months ago after her house was burnt down by the military. She crossed Naf River by boat during the night. ‘Our situation is better than many other refugees as my husband Mohammad Alom works here as a day labourer. Many of the new refugees have no work here, so they have to rely on relief,’ Fatema said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Aarafa Begum, 20, tends to her two-month-old daughter Noor Kayes, who has been suffering from fever in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Aarafa Begum fled to Bangladesh two and a half months ago with her husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law from Khyeri Prang in Myanmar. ‘My daughter is suffering from fever since last night but I don’t know where the clinic is, ‘Aarafa said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Aarafa Begum, 20, tends to her two-month-old daughter Noor Kayes, who has been suffering from fever in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Aarafa Begum fled to Bangladesh two and a half months ago with her husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law from Khyeri Prang in Myanmar. ‘My daughter is suffering from fever since last night but I don’t know where the clinic is, ‘Aarafa said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Amina, 30, holds her 16-day-old daughter Sumaiya as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. ‘One and a half months ago the military came to our village and kept firing their guns. I ran away with my neighbours to save our lives. You see us alive here only because the God was so kind. They caught my uncle and my younger brother and we don’t know whether they are dead or alive,’ (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Amina, 30, holds her 16-day-old daughter Sumaiya as she poses for a photograph inside their shelter in Balukhali unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. ‘One and a half months ago the military came to our village and kept firing their guns. I ran away with my neighbours to save our lives. You see us alive here only because the God was so kind. They caught my uncle and my younger brother and we don’t know whether they are dead or alive,’ (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Rajuma Begum, 28, poses for a photograph with her one-month-old son Raihan inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. ‘I fled to Bangladesh because of fear, because I needed to save my children. I was pregnant and suffering from fever while crossing the border. I also have an 11-month-old boy, so it was very difficult to reach the border from our village Wabek in Myanmar. I had to rest frequently. After six hours of horrible walking finally we reached the border at 2am and crossed the border after paying a broker,’ Rajuma Begum said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Rajuma Begum, 28, poses for a photograph with her one-month-old son Raihan inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. ‘I fled to Bangladesh because of fear, because I needed to save my children. I was pregnant and suffering from fever while crossing the border. I also have an 11-month-old boy, so it was very difficult to reach the border from our village Wabek in Myanmar. I had to rest frequently. After six hours of horrible walking finally we reached the border at 2am and crossed the border after paying a broker,’ Rajuma Begum said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Noor Kayes, 18, smiles as she holds her 26-day-old unnamed daughter at their home in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Noor Kayes fled to Bangladesh with her parents from Poachong village in Myanmar two months ago after her husband was killed by the military. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Noor Kayes, 18, smiles as she holds her 26-day-old unnamed daughter at their home in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Noor Kayes fled to Bangladesh with her parents from Poachong village in Myanmar two months ago after her husband was killed by the military. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Rehana Begum, 25, sits near her one-day-old unnamed daughter inside their shelter at Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. ‘We were in our home and suddenly the military came to our village and started shooting," said Rehana Begum, who fled her village of Jambuinna in Myanmar three months ago. ‘When we heard the sound of gun shots we immediately went to our relatives. We walked for four hours without any food and water to reach the border at 1 a.m. We paid $18 to a broker to cross." The figure is equivalent to 25,000 Myanmar kyat. Intercepted by Bangladesh border guards, Rehana Begum's family narrowly escaped being sent home. ‘They wanted to send us back, but then we heard gunshots from the Myanmar side and the guards released us, saying, 'Stay in Bangladesh and save your lives',’ she said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Rehana Begum, 25, sits near her one-day-old unnamed daughter inside their shelter at Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. ‘We were in our home and suddenly the military came to our village and started shooting," said Rehana Begum, who fled her village of Jambuinna in Myanmar three months ago. ‘When we heard the sound of gun shots we immediately went to our relatives. We walked for four hours without any food and water to reach the border at 1 a.m. We paid $18 to a broker to cross." The figure is equivalent to 25,000 Myanmar kyat. Intercepted by Bangladesh border guards, Rehana Begum's family narrowly escaped being sent home. ‘They wanted to send us back, but then we heard gunshots from the Myanmar side and the guards released us, saying, 'Stay in Bangladesh and save your lives',’ she said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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Sanwara Begum, 20, poses for a photograph with her 25-day-old daughter Aasma inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Sanwara Begum fled to Bangladesh from Khyeri Prang village in Myanmar, with her husband around two and a half months ago. Her husband Rafiqullah now works as a day labourer in Cox’s Bazar. ‘No one wants to leave their own home. We have come to Bangladesh only to save our lives. Myanmar is our home, we will move to Myanmar immediately if the situation becomes stable,’ Sanwara said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 22, 2017 09:02 am IST

Sanwara Begum, 20, poses for a photograph with her 25-day-old daughter Aasma inside their shelter in Kutupalang unregistered refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Sanwara Begum fled to Bangladesh from Khyeri Prang village in Myanmar, with her husband around two and a half months ago. Her husband Rafiqullah now works as a day labourer in Cox’s Bazar. ‘No one wants to leave their own home. We have come to Bangladesh only to save our lives. Myanmar is our home, we will move to Myanmar immediately if the situation becomes stable,’ Sanwara said. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS)

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