only two latrines, meaning they had to stand in a long queue and children defecated on the road, which led to people getting sick. One woman noted that the latrines were far from her shelter, and she felt she had to wear a burka if she needed to use the latrine (this is an issue because not all women owned a burka). Refugees also raised concerns about the quality and availability of water, and linked this to poor hygiene and overall cleanliness; when discussing the poor construction of the camps and his concern about water safety, one man in Kutupalong said ‘Everywhere in [the] camp it is dirty’. UNHCR has identified the need to remedy the lack of locks, lighting and appropriately segregated hygiene facilities (UNHCR: 2018b: 2), factors known to contribute to increased protection risks for refugees, including gender-based violence. Some refugees also mentioned fears or reports of children being kidnapped from the camps. Insufficient supplies. Refugees, particularly women, noted a lack of basic supplies, such as cooking pots, jugs for water, blankets and clothing – specifically burkas. Numerous refugees described having fled Myanmar with nothing because they were ‘running for their lives’; one 34-year-old mother of six said ‘we didn’t have a chance to bring anything with us because things were on fire when we fled so we don’t have much here and are really living a miserable life’. One 28-year-old woman from Balukali described not having enough clothes, plastic sheets, blankets, pitchers to collect water or cooking pots. While those who brought money with them from Myanmar or who managed to find work in Bangladesh were able to buy the items listed above and other necessities in the camps, those without money relied on whatever aid items were distributed. Inadequate food rations and lack of diversified diet. Food rations exemplify both the scale and limitations of current aid provision: ‘Around 860,000 refugees regularly receive minimum food assistance, yet only 240,000 have opportunities to diversify their diet beyond the minimum package of rice, lentils and oil’ (UN, 2019: 11). Many refugees we interviewed cited inadequate rations (primarily insufficient quantity, though some also cited poor-quality oil and food) and lack of diversified diet (particularly the absence of vegetables, fruit, fish and meat). Lack of choice was repeatedly mentioned by refugees. Some received vouchers, which expanded their choices but did not necessarily enable them to access the diversity or quantity of food they wanted. The following describes the situation of a refugee family in Unchiprang: Education. Education, a primary aspiration for many refugee families, was also a source of concern. Specific issues revolved around access (in some areas there were no nearby learning centres), quality (some parents said the learning centre only taught ‘basic things’, and that their children were not learning important skills such as writing) and supplies (such as no books). While costs associated with private tuition or schooling were prohibitive for some, others mentioned working or selling rations so they could hire a tutor or send their child for religious education. Education is well recognised as an important way for the Rohingya ‘to break the cycle of poverty, violence and injustice’ (UN, 2019: 11), yet the challenges facing the education sector in the response – including access, quality, varied curricula and lack of accreditation – are formidable (BROUK, 2018). Further barriers stem from the government not approving essential educational policies and the locations of schools/ learning centres. The ration we get sometimes it is not enough for us because we have six children in the family and we have to borrow. We sell sugar and buy fish or fruits. The ration is not always enough for us. During the election we could not get our ration … we had to buy 25kg of rice we had to borrow money 720 TK and I am still unable to return that money. While borrowing the money I told the person I will sell firewood and return the money. But until now I have not been able to return the money. So I do not go to collect firewood my husband goes to collect firewood. Whenever he goes to collect firewood the forest department people forbid him to collect and cut trees. They say that we will receive gas stove. It will take time meanwhile we have no stove. If we have to buy firewood a small firewood is 100 BDT ($1.18) but we do not have that money and now we cannot collect it. 12 3.1.2  Broader challenges The most divisive aspect of education was the language of instruction, which was linked to cultural and religious identity, beliefs about the future and potential return to Myanmar. It remains an issue on which the Government of Bangladesh is yet to provide direction – at present it further restricts the ability of humanitarian actors to address refugees’ education needs. Some wanted their children to be taught in Burmese and English; at a focus group of older men in Shamlapur, one man said ‘It would be better to get a chance to study for higher education with Burmese language. We do not want to learn Bengali. We want to learn in Rohingya so we do not lose our culture’. At a focus group of younger men in Shamlapur, another said they wanted their children to learn Uncertain futures: Rohingya refugees’ perspectives on their displacement in Bangladesh