withdrew, they cautiously returned to our village. Despite this temporary return, our lives remain fragile and uncertain. ➔ Life and Journey in Dangerous Routes It is an established fact that Rohingyas who flee persecution usually end up in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. However, there are also many of those who either by choice or chance also arrive in Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand. Hurled in overcrowded and unsafe boats, the human traffickers and smugglers usually take them through dangerous routes across the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, and the Strait of Malacca. The physical journeys detailed in the testimonies are long, dangerous, and often deadly. For instance, Mir Jaan’s journey involved walking for 14 days and sailing for 7 days without food or water as opined in his own words, “I saw dead bodies in the sea while fleeing violence.” There have been several instances when boats ended in tragedy. Between January and March 2015 alone, an estimated 50,000 people risked the voyage, many facilitated by smugglers. Hundreds perished along the way, with reports of around 100 deaths in Indonesia, 200 in Malaysia, and 10 in Thailand after traffickers abandoned them at sea. In November 2023 alone, at least 200 Rohingya drowned in a single boat incident, and it was roughly reported that 569 deaths or disappearances occurred that year as they attempted to flee by sea. Two separate boat disasters took place in May 2025. The incidents reportedly claimed 427 Rohingya lives fleeing. It has been reported and also stated by UNHCR in its press release that nearly 20% of those attempting to cross sea in the region are ‘dead or missing so far in 2025.’ As a result of such tragedies, the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal remain among the world's deadliest migration routes. We must also recognise that most of the deaths of the Rohingyas who take up these ways, in these dangerous routes, are either underreported or not reported at all. Knowing the deadly risks the refugees face on these routes, this section will now take you through the firsthand testimonies of those who have survived. They would reveal bad experiences at every stage. Their accounts expose the brutal realities of smuggling networks, starvation at sea, and the impossible choices forced upon fleeing families. For instance, Mohammad Noor's journey 51