In a distressing development reported by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday, the education sector in Bangladesh's Rohingya refugee camps has hit a new low due to significant cutbacks in foreign humanitarian aid. The group has called on Bangladesh's interim government to ease restrictions on refugees and to involve Rohingya educators in policy-making processes.

Earlier in June, a stark decrease in international humanitarian donations led to the closure of numerous learning centers run by UNICEF and Save the Children. This was compounded by a drastic reduction in U.S. aid, which plummeted from $300 million in 2024 to just $12 million in June 2025 following an executive order by former President Trump. The closures have left nearly 300,000 children without access to education, affecting their basic rights and exposing them to increased risks of child labor and gang violence.

Golam Mostofa, Cox’s Bazar Area Director for Save the Children International, expressed his dismay, stating, "Nobody wants to take education away from children, especially those who have endured so much trauma and hardship. However, funding shortfalls have forced us to make the incredibly difficult decision to shut thousands of learning centers."

The crisis is further exacerbated by the lack of official recognition for community-led schools that continue to operate. These schools, vital for continuing children's education, are ineligible to receive foreign donations due to their unrecognized status. HRW has highlighted the importance of these community-led networks, noting their expertise in Rohingya and Burmese languages and their crucial role in the educational landscape in the camps.

Bangladesh has been a host to Rohingya refugees following the ethnic group’s persecution by the Myanmar military. Despite the pressing needs, previous administrations in Bangladesh have been reluctant to establish permanent educational institutions, fearing that such measures might discourage refugees from returning to Myanmar.

International laws, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, uphold the right to education for all children, including refugees. HRW has criticized Bangladesh for not fulfilling its international obligations to provide formal education to Rohingya children, a right also safeguarded under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

As the crisis deepens, the international community's role becomes ever more crucial in ensuring that Rohingya children in Bangladesh do not become a lost generation, deprived of their right to education and a hopeful future.