COMMENT | As the Rohingya become increasingly trapped by the raging conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, those who cannot pay their way across the border into Bangladesh are left without protection or assistance.

“We heard explosions, gunfire and people screaming,” says Ruhul, describing the moment when his township, Buthidaung, was attacked on the evening of May 17.

“My family and I fled our home in the chaos, seeking safety in the nearby hills...