UNICEF and Save the Children have announced the indefinite closure of 6,493 learning centres in the Rohingya camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, citing recent unrest and operational challenges.
The announcement was made in a joint letter sent Tuesday afternoon to the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) by Angela Kearney, Head of UNICEF’s Cox’s Bazar Field Office, and Mohammad Golam Mostafa of Save the Children.
The letter stated that all education activities in the Rohingya camps have been suspended due to the current situation in Ukhiya. The decision follows a press briefing by UNICEF on Monday, where it warned that 230,000 Rohingya children were at risk of losing access to education due to a severe funding shortfall. The organization noted that it had already begun downsizing local volunteer teachers due to the budget crisis.
RRRC Additional Commissioner Shamsud Douza Nayan confirmed receipt of the letter and said that UNICEF had laid off approximately 1,200 local teachers working in education centres within the camps. “These teachers had long been protesting their termination. We have requested the UN to reinstate the teachers and ensure sufficient funding for the programme,” he added.
Meanwhile, protests erupted Tuesday at Courtbazar in Ukhiya and Unchiprang Station in Teknaf, located along the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf (Shaheed ATM Zafar Alam) Arakan Highway. The protests, led by laid-off teachers from 33 Rohingya camps, were directed at various NGOs operating under UNICEF’s education programme, including BRAC, CODEC, Friendship, Mukti Cox’s Bazar, and JCF.
From 7:30am to 2:00pm, the highway remained blocked for more than seven hours, severely disrupting traffic and causing significant hardship for travellers, including ambulances and long-distance vehicles. Protesters called off the blockade after receiving assurances from local Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) regarding a possible resolution.
Protesting teachers alleged that around 1,250 Bangladeshi educators had been dismissed while Rohingya volunteers were retained in education centres run by the mentioned NGOs. They claimed the excuse of ‘funding shortages’ was being misused to replace local teachers with relatives and known associates of NGO officials from other parts of the country.
Mohammad Karim, a protesting teacher in Unchiprang, said, “We’ve been sacked while Rohingya volunteers were kept. We’ve protested several times before but never regained our jobs. Now another 1,250 of us have been laid off.”
Borhan Uddin, a teacher protesting in Courtbazar, added, “These NGOs, under UNICEF’s direction, have removed us locals and are trying to bring in their people from other districts. We’ve informed RRRC and NGO officials repeatedly, but no solution has come. We’re left with no choice but to take to the streets.”
Teknaf UNO Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said, “We’re aware that local teachers are protesting on the highway. The matter has been reported to the Deputy Commissioner.”
Ukhiya UNO Mohammad Kamrul Hossain Chowdhury stated, “All education activities in the camps are suspended indefinitely until a decision is made about the 4,000 dismissed teachers. The education projects can only resume with the involvement of local teachers-otherwise, they will remain closed.”
