"Abdullah Al Bukhari, Ananda Paul, Sunzida Suba, Rubaya Islam Ruhi, and Moumita Rahman Ipsita We have had a completely different experience than what we see when scrolling through social media or flipping the pages of most daily newspapers. We met Rohingya refugees in person, and got to know about them ... not as numbers but as human beings like you and me. We -- five students from the Department of Law of the University of Dhaka -- have been to the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar last month, and witnessed how refugees have been trying to live and be happy with whatever they can get. We recently got the chance to meet the Rohingya refugees who had to cross the border and flee to Bangladesh from Myanmar’s Rakhine state to save themselves from ethnic cleansing. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) conducted a Certificate Courses on Refugee Law and Protection at our department. After attending the course, five of us were selected to go on a field visit to see the lives of Rohingya refugees. It took us an hour and a half to reach the camps in Ukhiya from the city of Cox’s Bazar, and we went first to the Camp-4 Extension. This can be considered a model camp, because it was built in a planned way considering the number and needs of the refugees, which had not been possible for many Rohingya camps in Ukhiya. Going all the way to one of the Legal Assistance Centres, the signboard indicated the center is run jointly by BRAC, UNHCR, and the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) –- a proof of strong collaboration among NGOs, the United Nations, and the government authorities across the camps. Inside the centre, there were numerous awareness posters showcasing the plight of the refugees, with text written in both Bengali and Burmese. We came to know how refugees receive legal assistance and mediation through such centers. UNHCR has been working to ensure legal assistance and justice for Rohingya refugees in collaboration with BRAC, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), while the RRRC has been providing administrative support. The legal assistance centers run by BRAC and BLAST are always open for Rohingya refugees seeking legal assistance and remedies, they work on legal counselling, mediation, representation at police and court, jail visit, and legal awareness. UNHCR has been working to raise legal awareness among the refugees sheltered in Bangladesh. This also helps Rohingya refugees and their community leaders work together with humanitarians for their own safety and security. Access to justice is a human right, and it does not change whether a person is a citizen or a refugee. BLAST, BRAC, and UNHCR are playing a good role in preserving Rohingyas’ access to justice while they are in exile in Bangladesh. Afterwards we went to see the work of the Community-Based Protection team -- sustainable solutions or development cannot be achieved if decisions are made by others while not taking the concerns of refugees themselves in consideration. That is why UNHCR takes a community-based approach in all of its operations. The Camp 4 Extension in Cox’s Bazar is divided into several blocks. In each block, refugee representatives are elected. They need to be a resident of that specific camp, should not have any criminal record, cannot have a record of multiple marriages, and there are some other prerequisites. All Rohingya above the age of 18 can vote to elect their representative. The elected Rohingya representatives are then trained on different important issues, so that they know how to solve or where to refer to for regular problems faced by refugees. They also remain in constant contact with authorities, and raise the concerns of their people in official meetings. These refugee representatives work to ensure social protection and legal protection. They identify the concerns of the community and hold small meetings to address those. They also raise awareness on health and hygiene, child-marriage, domestic violence, and empowerment, and settle petty quarrels through mediation. We were soon getting hungry as it was past midday already. Surprisingly, the “women’s market” in the camp has a small restaurant with delicious food made from fresh ingredients cooked by Rohingya women. We had our lunch and saw various small initiatives taken by refugee women to support their families. This is an exclusive centre for only women to explore their talents and learn from their peers as well. Several shops are there with their hand-crafted jute products, various clothing items and garments. They have made the entire centre so neat, organized and women-friendly to flourish the inner skills of a woman. We wish we had the same cozy yet productive centre for women in our own villages. A short visit to the Jute Production Centre at camp-5 was another eye-opener. Launched after the pandemic, this centre carries out both training and production of jute items. And it is amazing that the entire camp uses only jute bags for all kinds of packaging, carrying and, shopping purposes. Around 150 female refugees are actively working here on 8-hour shifts. They productively use their time and skill and can contribute to their family. We could not help but buy gifts from here. What we cannot explain is the experience we have had after talking to the Rohingya refugees in each of these spots. They are human beings like us, with strengths, vulnerabilities, concerns, and hopes. This side of the coin about the stories of Rohingya refugees was completely unknown to us, and we are glad that we know them now. Not just as refugees, not just as a number but as individuals with their own stories..."