Making a Splash: Refugee Boy Scouts in Bangladesh clean up at the beach

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It wasn’t just a day out from the refugee camp when Rohingya refugee Boy Scouts joined UNHCR staff in cleaning up one of the world’s longest beaches.

By Craig Sanders/Ikteruddin Bayzid

Boy Scouts from two refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar, Nayapara and Kutupalong, take part in the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup at Labonee Beach.  © UNHCR/J.Sultan

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh, September 28 (UNHCR) - Born and raised in Nayapara refugee camp, 17-year-old Ziaur Rahman doesn’t get many chances to sunbathe at nearby Cox’s Bazar, which claims to have the world’s longest beach.

Still, he prizes the stretch of strand, and turned out recently with 30 fellow Boy Scouts from the camp and neighbouring Bangladeshi villages, as well as UNHCR staff, to pick up fast-food wrappers and keep the white sands of Labonee Beach in south-eastern Bangladesh pristine.

“The beach in Cox’s Bazar receives thousands of visitors each day,” Ziaur said, taking a pause from stuffing rubbish into his white plastic bag despite a sporadic drizzle. “If the beach is not clean, visitors will stop coming. But if everyone puts in an effort to keep the beach clean, it will attract many more visitors in the future.”

Bangladesh’s participation in the 25th International Coastal Cleanup last weekend also marked an unusual opportunity for the Rohingya refugee Boy Scouts to spend a day outside the two camps south of Cox’s Bazar, home to 28,500 refugees, many of whom left Myanmar 19 years ago, others of whom were born in the camp.

Not only was Ziaur proud to join the beach clean-up, “I was very happy to get to know fellow Scouts from local communities,” he said with a warm smile.

The Scouts from Nayapara and Kutupulong refugee camps, wearing the traditional khaki shirt, scarf and pendant, worked side-by-side with about 500 volunteers in the annual event organized by the Ocean Conservancy, which mobilizes people to clean beaches and waterways around the world. Locally, the event was organized by Kewkradong, a Bangladeshi NGO which specializes in outdoor expeditions, adventure tourism and environmental advocacy.

This is the fifth year this event has been held at Labonee Beach in Cox’s Bazar, which receives thousands or even tens of thousands of visitors a day, depending on the season.

Creating a mixed Scout troop for both Bangladeshi boys and Rohingya refugee boys was the brainchild of Feroz Salah Uddin, the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, the main agency within the Bangladeshi government working with UNHCR to help address one of the world’s longest running refugee situations.

“The Boy Scout movement represents some of the best traditions of self-empowerment and service to one’s community and Mr. Salah Uddin has done a remarkable job on both accounts,” said Craig Sanders, UNHCR’s representative in Bangladesh. “The participation of Boy Scouts in the beach clean-up not only gives back to Bangladesh, but also goes a long way towards building a spirit of cooperation and understanding among the refugees and host communities.”

Ziaur, a Scout for about a year now, says the girls in his camp are envious of his opportunities and are agitating for a troop of their own. Their voices have been heard and they may not have long to wait. “While the Boy Scout troop is just a first step, our real success will be when we start the Girl Guides programme in the refugee camps,” said G.M. Khan, programme manager for TAI, a local organization providing education and community services in the two camps.

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