Mojibor, a 42-year old refugee from Bangladesh, holds his four-month old child in the village of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Mojibor and other asylum seekers in Hong Kong are legally forbidden to work, and dwell for years in decrepit housing on meager aid while awaiting a determination on their refugee status.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Mojibor, a 42-year old refugee from Bangladesh, holds his four-month old child in the village of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Mojibor and other asylum seekers in Hong Kong are legally forbidden to work, and dwell for years in decrepit housing on meager aid while awaiting a determination on their refugee status.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
Saidur Rahman, a refugee from Bangladesh, drinks water from a hose in the slum of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Rahman and other asylum seekers in Hong Kong receive a housing allowance of $1,200 HKD ($155) a month, which barely covers rent for the most rudimentary housing.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Saidur Rahman, a refugee from Bangladesh, drinks water from a hose in the slum of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Rahman and other asylum seekers in Hong Kong receive a housing allowance of $1,200 HKD ($155) a month, which barely covers rent for the most rudimentary housing.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
Salim, a 43-year old refugee from Bangladesh, stands before a wall of family pictures in the slum of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Salim, a former business owner, fled Bangladesh after terrorists threatened to kill him. They have also threatened his wife and son, who is now 19, he said.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Salim, a 43-year old refugee from Bangladesh, stands before a wall of family pictures in the slum of Ping Che, Hong Kong on June 25, 2013. Salim, a former business owner, fled Bangladesh after terrorists threatened to kill him. They have also threatened his wife and son, who is now 19, he said.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
Johir, a refugee from Bangaldesh, stands next to a pile of salvaged objects in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. Because asylum seekers are forbidden to make money while awaiting a status determination, Johir must gather clothes and household items from a nearby garbage dump.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Johir, a refugee from Bangaldesh, stands next to a pile of salvaged objects in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. Because asylum seekers are forbidden to make money while awaiting a status determination, Johir must gather clothes and household items from a nearby garbage dump.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
Arif, a 26-year old refugee from Bangladesh, sits for an interview with CNN reporters in the slum of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. Arif, formerly a pharmacology student and business owner, fled his native country in 2009 when terrorists threatened to kill him. "I lost everything," he says.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Arif, a 26-year old refugee from Bangladesh, sits for an interview with CNN reporters in the slum of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. Arif, formerly a pharmacology student and business owner, fled his native country in 2009 when terrorists threatened to kill him. "I lost everything," he says.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
Cosmo Beatson (far right), executive director of Vision First, a refugee aid organization, gives a pep talk to a group of Bangladeshi refugees in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. "When it dawns on refugees what they're stuck in, they're in shock," he says.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Cosmo Beatson (far right), executive director of Vision First, a refugee aid organization, gives a pep talk to a group of Bangladeshi refugees in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. "When it dawns on refugees what they're stuck in, they're in shock," he says.
Wilfred Chan/CNN
From left to right: Saidur, Hashem, Salim, Hafex, and Johir, refugees from Bangladesh, sit in their home in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. All fled their home country due to life-threatening violence, and are now waiting for a refugee status determination.
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
From left to right: Saidur, Hashem, Salim, Hafex, and Johir, refugees from Bangladesh, sit in their home in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. All fled their home country due to life-threatening violence, and are now waiting for a refugee status determination.
Delwar, a refugee from Bangladesh, leans out of the main entrance of a housing compound in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. The large Chinese characters read, "Peace and safety to those who enter and leave."
Asylum seekers 'imprisoned' in Hong Kong —
Delwar, a refugee from Bangladesh, leans out of the main entrance of a housing compound in the slum village of Ping Che on June 25, 2013. The large Chinese characters read, "Peace and safety to those who enter and leave."
Wilfred Chan/CNN