The Rohingya are one of the most oppressed and vulnerable ethnic minority groups in Myanmar. For decades, they have faced persecution and displacement in their homeland. In 2017, nearly one million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh seeking safety from violence. While Bangladesh provided refuge, it did not offer a clear path toward the future.

For Rohingya youth growing up in the refugee camps, access to formal education remains severely restricted. Without recognized schools, certifications, or freedom of movement, many students are unable to pursue their ambitions. The desire to study and build a future often pushes them to look beyond the camps despite the risks involved.

It was from this reality that the journeys of some Rohingya students began. Leaving Bangladesh in search of education in India, they hoped to find opportunity. Instead, they found themselves detained without proper justification.

Nozim Ullah, 20 years old, is one of those students who left Bangladesh in search of access to education.

He lived in Camp 13 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, with his parents, one elder brother, and one younger sister. In 2023, he went to India with the help of agents and took refuge in Vikas Puri, New Delhi. Later, in 2024, his elder brother, Azim Ullah, also joined him there.

All Rohingya living in India were registered with UNHCR. Both brothers, along with several other Rohingya youths somehow enrolled in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya High School, Hastal, with support from UNHCR India and Bosco Delhi.

They began their educational journey from Class 10. From then until 6 May 2025, their lives existed between hope and constant fear of detention and confinement.

However, the events of 6 May 2025 changed everything.

All the students staying in Vikas Puri were called by the police for what they described as biometric verification. Since many students had examinations during the day, they requested permission to attend in the evening instead.

After finishing their exams and returning to their rooms, Nozim Ullah recalled:

“A group of police officers came at around 11 p.m. and arrested us, including my brother Azim Ullah and my classmates Mohammed Riaz, Rashed Ullah, and Foyaz Ullah. Some of our friends and classmates were also there, but they were on the rooftop, so the police could not find them. While taking us away, they also arrested Hujjatul Islam on the way to Vikas Puri Police Station.”

At Vikas Puri Police Station, they were detained for around two hours before being taken to a hospital for medical examinations. According to Nozim, no actual tests were conducted, and the visit appeared to be only a formality for preparing medical reports. They were later brought back to the same police station at around 2 a.m.

After remaining there for a short time, they were transferred to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) office in Delhi to take biometric again. Later they were transferred to the FRRO detention center. There, they found around 40 other detained Rohingya individuals.

“Our biometrics were taken, and the process continued until 6 a.m. Afterward, we were given puri and curry as food. By then, there were a total of 46 Rohingya detainees there.”

According to Nozim, officials prepared files for everyone and later separated 40 detainees, booking plane tickets for them.

“The remaining six of us, including me, were told to sleep for five or six hours. We were told that we would also be taken later and that we would be sent to Bangladesh by plane. But these were false promises. Those who were separated were reportedly taken to the Andaman Sea and forced into the water while wearing life jackets. My brother Azim Ullah was among them.”

These allegations drew international attention and were reported by organizations and media outlets including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, TRT World, and others. The incident raised serious concerns regarding violations of international human rights standards, particularly the prohibition of forced return and the principle of non-refoulement.

Later that evening, another Rohingya youth was brought into detention, bringing the total number of detained Rohingya students to seven. After fifteen days, eight additional Rohingya students studying at Shahin Bagh Madrasa were also brought there. They had come to India with similar hopes for education from Kyauktaw, Arakan State, Myanmar.

In total, there were 15 Rohingya students in detention, alongside older detainees who had reportedly been held for years.

For several days, the detainees received no information regarding their legal situation. Eventually, they contacted UNHCR India.

“They told us that they had filed a case for us in the Supreme Court and asked us to wait for the hearings. They also said they were trying to secure our release and arrange resettlement to a third country. Hearing those things gave us hope. But later I realized those promises were not real. In reality, they had no concrete plan for us. As all the officials in UNHCR India are also Indian, they have the same view and perspective regarding Rohingya. They gave many false promises and hope but in reality they did nothing for us”

A few days before 10 December, Nozim began thinking constantly about his missing brother and his family living in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Those thoughts pushed him toward a desperate decision: escaping from detention.

According to him, security conditions around the detention center had changed following a terrorist attack near Red Fort, Delhi, on 11 November 2025. Due to heightened tensions, most security forces were deployed elsewhere, and security at the detention center became weaker.

“Earlier, there were always at least two officers guarding the gate, but later only one remained. Fortunately, one rod of the gate was also broken.”

The guards warned detainees not to approach the gate area, although the television room was located nearby, making enforcement difficult.

Nozim observed that every early morning, the guard responsible for the gate would leave briefly to prepare tea for his senior officer. He viewed this as an opportunity to escape.

He discussed the idea with another detainee named Toyoub, who initially dismissed the possibility.

“I heard the police had ordered a new gate. I realized that once it was installed, escaping would become impossible.”

Eventually, both decided to attempt the escape.

After praying Fajr Salah early one morning, they waited for the guard to leave.

“When the guard went to make tea, I told my friend to go first, but he was trembling with fear. I decided to go first instead.”

While squeezing through the broken section of the gate, his jacket became stuck.

“I pulled myself through as quickly as possible, which made a noise. I immediately started running because I thought the guard would return.”

Nearby stood a mosque where worshippers were leaving after Fajr prayers. Nozim approached several people asking to borrow a phone, claiming he had come from Jammu and Kashmir and lost his wallet and belongings. No one agreed.

He then stopped an auto-rickshaw and asked the driver to move forward, promising payment later. After a short distance, he got down near a flower shop and paid the driver 10 rupees. Again, he requested a phone from the shopkeeper but was refused.

“To avoid suspicion, I started jogging casually along the road.”

Eventually, a roadside vendor allowed him to use a phone. He contacted his brother-in-law in Jammu, explained the situation, and requested money. His brother-in-law sent 1,600 rupees. Nozim gave 100 rupees to the vendor and used the remaining money to travel to Uttam Nagar, where he had lived before his arrest.

He later went to his previous residence but found nobody there. Eventually, he reached Budella Village, where he met another Rohingya youth and obtained contact numbers for friends.

At around 10 a.m., he went to the UNHCR office in Delhi.

“First, a lawyer named Abhishek spoke sympathetically and told me I had done a great job. But later he informed the police and told me to surrender because they were coming.”

Nozim refused.

“I told him I do not need your help and I would not stay in Delhi. I asked him to help me leave safely, but he said he had already informed his seniors and could not assist further.”

When the lawyer briefly went upstairs to call his seniors, Nozim used the opportunity to leave the office.

“Fortunately, a call came to the gate’s landline at that moment, and the security guard became distracted. I walked out casually as if nothing had happened.”

After leaving, he ran for several minutes before slowing down after noticing a police vehicle nearby. He then took an auto-rickshaw to Janakpuri Metro Station, traveled by metro to New Delhi Railway Station, and later boarded a bus to Amritsar after learning that trains were unavailable until night.

After staying in Punjab for several days, he moved to Jammu for a short period before eventually returning to Bangladesh.

CONCLUSION

This case is not merely a story of escape. It exposes broader systemic failures.

The actions described raise serious concerns regarding arbitrary detention, forced removal, and possible violations of international human rights law. Such practices directly contradict the principle of non-refoulement and the prohibition against forced return.

At the same time, the role of UNHCR in this case also requires scrutiny. As the primary international agency mandated to protect refugees, the response and assurances described in this testimony raise concerns about serious protection gaps.

The presence of UNHCR refugee cards also plays a significant role in shaping decisions made by Rohingya refugees. For many, these cards create a sense of safety and legal protection, encouraging them to take risks in search of education and a better future. However, as reflected in this account, the cards often provide little practical protection against detention or removal.

We call upon international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, to take immediate and concrete action. Independent investigations, accountability, and meaningful protection measures must follow. Silence in the face of such allegations only deepens injustice.

If international protections are to have meaning, they must be enforced consistently and without delay.

REFERENCES

- Human Rights Watch. Rohingya persecution and displacement reports (2017–present). https://www.hrw.org
- Amnesty International. Rohingya crisis documentation and protection reports. https://www.amnesty.org
- UNHCR. Refugee protection framework and the principle of non-refoulement. https://www.unhcr.org
- Amnesty International. India: Rohingya detention and deportation concerns. https://www.amnesty.org
- Reuters. Regional reporting on the Rohingya refugee situation. https://www.reuters.com