Student expelled from university for being Rohingya

Rahima Akter hid her Rohingya identity to enrol at a private university in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, but her dreams of pursuing higher education were dashed after she was suspended by her university earlier this month, writes Sunaina Kumar for Al Jazeera.

The 20-year-old from Kutupalong refugee camp has become the face of the struggle of Rohingya refugees who want to study, as Bangladesh does not allow Rohingya to enrol in schools or colleges. Last October, she was featured in a video story by the Associated Press in which she talked about being a Rohingya and her dream to study human rights. Nearly a year after it was published, the video went viral, after which she was expelled from Cox's Bazar International University where she was studying law.

“I was in college when the video started showing up on people’s phones. Suddenly, everyone was asking me, ‘Are you Rohingya?' Some people started a negative campaign, saying I should be sent back," Akter told Al Jazeera over the phone. “I was hiding my identity only so I could study. I feel guilty but I did not have an option. Is getting an education a crime?” she asked.
Full report on the Al Jazeera site