Rohingya Refugee Camps Research Articles

Rohingya influx and host community: A reflection on culture for leading socioeconomic and environmental changes in Bangladesh

The paper analyses the socioeconomic and environmental changes in the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of the largest refugee host countries in the world. Due to the refugee inflow, Rohingya and host communities have been experiencing tremendous socioeconomic and environmental changes that hinder their sustainable life. Factors that have resulted in the camp area are market instability, cultivable land decline, pollution, deforestation, water and sanitation crisis, law and order failure, and drug use. All these changes accompany the refugee and host people’s discomfort and suffering. Moreover, some host people might feel unprivileged because they were not considered for relief schemes by donor agencies. A qualitative study was conducted to collect the data using the Case study and Key Informant Interview (KII) methods. Semi-structured interview schedules for the case study and open-ended interviews for the KIIs were used in this study. By illustrating the refugee and host’s socioeconomic and environmental dynamics, we tried to explain the current situation of the camp area. We also tried to shed light on the experiences of both communities regarding inclusiveness and building a cohesive society.

Prevalence and determinants of self-reported functional status among older adults residing in the largest refugee camp of the world

BackgroundThe older adults of refugee camps might be vulnerable to exhibiting limited functional abilities because of the limited resources available to create a supportive environment for older population in the camps. This study aims to explore the prevalence and determinants of self-reported functional status among the older adults residing in the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 864 older adults aged 60 years and above living in five selected sub-camps of Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews of the participants between November-December 2021. Functional status was measured using the Barthel Index. Information on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported chronic diseases and lifestyle characteristics were also collected. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess the factors associated with self-reported functional abilities among the participants.ResultsThe overall percentage of people having limited self-reported functional ability was 26.5% (male: 22.6% and female: 31.5%) with inability most found in grooming (33.2%), bathing (31.8%), stair using (13.2%) and mobility (10.7%). In the final adjusted model, having age of 80 years or more (aOR = 2.01,95% CI: 1.08,3.75), being female (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04,2.0), having low memory or concentration (aOR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.30,2.56), loneliness (aOR = 2.89, 95% CI:1.74,4.80) and living with aid alone (aOR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.74,4.80) were found to be associated with self-reported limited functional ability.ConclusionThe findings of this study highlight the need for attention from policymakers and public health practitioners on addressing functional limitations among older adults residing in the Rohingya refugee camp. Our findings emphasize the need for the development of comprehensive interventions that can address the wider unmet needs (e.g., ensuring family/caregiver support, engaging in social and physical activities, providing nutritional support packages, etc.) to improve the health and well-being of older Rohingya adults.

Reflections on the multi-sectoral response to COVID-19 in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact people globally, refugees comprise a vulnerable population, particularly those living in densely populated areas. In Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar is currently home to almost a million Rohingya refugees. Because of the lack of healthcare, sanitation and water, as well as overcrowding, refugees were at high risk of becoming ill during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Moreover, superstitions and lack of trust in the healthcare system threaten to put the community at further risk. To prevent tragic consequences, national and international attention and action are required to strengthen the health system for Rohingya refugees. The community will require surveillance and testing, infection prevention and control measures, adequate food supplies, and access to improved healthcare services. This paper calls for a multi-sectoral approach to developing an action plan and implementation strategy to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on this vulnerable population.

Temporal Changes in Land Cover, Land Surface Temperature, Soil Moisture, and Evapotranspiration Using Remote Sensing Techniques—a Case Study of Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh

Temporal Changes in Land Cover, Land Surface Temperature, Soil Moisture, and Evapotranspiration Using Remote Sensing Techniques—a Case Study of Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh

Participation in Everyday Occupations Among Rohingya Refugees in Bangladeshi Refugee Camps

Abstract Importance: Bangladesh hosts a large number of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Living in refugee camps, the Rohingya refugees face challenges in everyday occupations because of violence, limited opportunities, and corporal punishment by the community. Objective: To explore how Rohingya refugees experience participation in everyday occupations while living in temporary refugee camps in Bangladesh. Design: Phenomenological study to describe, understand, and interpret the meanings of life experiences in particularly adverse conditions. Setting: Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Participants: Fifteen purposively selected participants from the camps. Outcomes and Measures: In-depth semistructured interview, as well as participant and environmental observations. Researchers used line-by-line data analysis to capture quotations and patterns using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which included establishment of initial codes, interpretation, determining selected codes, and categorization. Results: The research identified four major themes—(1) mental stress, sleep disturbances, and daily occupations; (2) adjustment to inconsistent daily activities; (3) complex relationships and limited social roles that decreased occupational engagement; and (4) involvement in precarious occupations that exacerbated severe health risks—and four subthemes—(1) fragmented family relationships, (2) formation of new relationships to perform social roles, (3) inconvenient and inaccessible living conditions, and (4) continuation of unlawful work to survive. Conclusions and Relevance: Rohingya refugees should receive comprehensive health and rehabilitative care because of their perilous mental health conditions, precarious occupations, and lack of trustworthy relationships with family and neighbors. What This Article Adds: Rohingya refugees experience imbalanced, deprived, and maladapted occupations in refugee camps. Suggestions to improve their lived experience with further peer support programs may help them participate in occupation-based rehabilitation services to facilitate their social integration.

Incident Report and Analysis of the 2021 Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Refugee Camp Fire in Bangladesh

AbstractAccording to the UN Refugee Agency, roughly 980,000 people live in the Cox’s Bazar region in Bangladesh, making it the largest and most densely populated refugee camp in the world. The number of fires in this settlement rapidly increased in 2021. On 22 March, a large fire event occurred, where 15 fatalities and 560 injuries were reported, and more than 9500 homes were affected leaving 45,000 homeless. This work seeks to reconstruct this incident based on firefighters’ statements, information found in the media, and satellite imagery. The study shows that (a) the fire spread extremely fast, with linear spread rates between 79 and 310 m/h and an average areal spread rate of 92,850 m2/h estimated, (b) the firefighters performed two main operations, firefighting and the creation of fire barriers, (c) the residents self-evacuated, deciding when and where to evacuate, and (d) the residents’ actions were similar to what has been observed in residential fires, with several people mentioning looking for missing family members. Fire spread is analogous to wildland fires where conflagrations spread across large areas of combustible material. This work can be used in planning for future large-scale fire incidents in tented camps, and proactively seeking ways of mitigating their impact. This is the first detailed documentation of such a large-scale refugee camp incident in the academic literature.

Is solar power an emergency solution to electricity access? Findings from the largest Rohingya refugee camps

Globally, the solar home system (SHS) has proven to be a sustainable solution for providing basic access to electricity to the energy poor in developing countries, and has been well covered in the literature. However, the role of solar photovoltaic (PV) during emergencies such as war or natural disaster has rarely been discussed, and is the focus of this study. In particular, how solar PV could act as an emergency source of energy to ensure basic access to electricity for the Rohingya refugees is explored in this study. The Rohingyas have experienced racial and religious oppression in Myanmar for decades. Consequently, a significant number of Rohingya have escaped to Bangladesh and stayed in refugee camps. Ninety households in six Rohingya camps in Ukhia and Teknaf, Bangladesh, were surveyed. Results show that solar PV acted as an emergency source of energy for the Rohingyas in the camps and on their way to Bangladesh. They charged their cell phones using solar energy and were able to communicate with their relatives to find safe routes to Bangladesh from Myanmar. Cell phone charging and ensuring safety at night along with other benefits were found to be the significant drivers or enablers for adopting SHSs in the camps. The average satisfaction level of using SHS was found to be 6.84 on a scale of 1–10. Overall, the Rohingyas were found satisfied with the SHS as the 25th and 75th percentiles varied between 6 and 8. One of the crucial reasons for this satisfaction level is that they received very basic energy support (e.g., for charging cell phones, light in the jungle at night) from the system during a highly critical emergency situation.

Factors associated with low childhood immunization coverage among Rohingya refugee parents in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Immunization campaigns and Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) were launched by Government of Bangladesh (GoB) in collaboration with WHO and other Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to tackle the increased risk of vaccine preventable disease outbreak in the Rohingya refugee camps. Immunization coverage was found to be lower than expected. However, a few studies explored the factors behind low vaccine uptake among Refugee children. Therefore, this study was aimed. A cross sectional study was carried out among Rohingya parents living in registered camps and makeshift settlements located in Teknaf and Ukhiya upazilla of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. A total of 224 Rohingya parents were conveniently selected (122 parents from each type of camps). Data was collected using a pretested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire with the help of bilingual volunteers who understand Rohingya dialect. All statistical analyses were carried out in IBM SPSS Version 26 (New York, USA). Total 63.1% of Rohingya parents had good practice regarding childhood immunization (completed EPI vaccination) as per schedule. Of all, 74.6% had good knowledge and 94.7% had positive attitude towards EPI vaccination. Good practice regarding vaccination was significantly more common among parents living in registered camps (77%) than those living in makeshift settlements (49.2%, p<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that living in registered camps (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.99; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.41-6.32) and good knowledge level (aOR: 2.88; 95%CI: 1.32-15.82) were independent determinants of good practice. A separate analysis in both type of camps revealed that in registered camps, good knowledge level (aOR: 3.62; 95%CI: 1.45-9.04) and having >2 children (aOR: 3.71; 95%CI: 1.34-10.27), and in makeshift settlements, father's employment (aOR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.34-6.72), father's education (aOR: 3.00; 95%CI: 1.34-6.72) and presence of any electronic device (e.g., radio, television, mobile phone) (aOR: 4.01; 95%CI: 0.96-16.84) were significant determinants of good childhood immunization practice. Health education and promotion strategies should be implemented to increase knowledge and awareness about EPI immunization benefits among Rohingya parents to ensure greater coverage.

On the Politics of Viruses and Visibility

On the Politics of Viruses and Visibility

Exploring the self-preparedness of frontline healthcare workers in a low- and middle-income country from a humanitarian context during the COVID-19 pandemic: A constructivist grounded theory study.

While research has been conducted on the availability, accessibility, and affordability of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, little information is available on the ways in which health workers, especially those in humanitarian settings see themselves, and engage in self-preparedness for social, physical, and mental health and practical care in the pandemic. We sought to address this gap. We followed a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide in-depth interviews with 30 frontline doctors, nurses, and community healthcare workers recruited from the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh using the purposive and snowball sampling methods. Analyses were carried out through the identification of codes in three phases: an initial line-by-line open coding, then focused axial coding, and finally selective coding. An emergent-grounded theory of "Navigating Self-Preparedness through Pandemics" was developed as we built a five-phased theoretical framework examining health worker responses with the following pillars: (a) pandemic shock; (b) pandemic awareness; (c) pandemic learning; (d) pandemic resilience, and (e) pandemic resurgence. The theory emerged as a realistic, socially, and culturally sensitive COVID-19 strategy to support healthcare workers. Self-preparedness was characterized by two interwoven processes: (1) the experiences of the daily life span of healthcare workers attempting to improve their own protection using all their potential while providing care for patients in a vulnerable setting and time and (2) the inseparable role of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors in each stage of learning during the pandemic to achieve better outcomes.

Learning Competency Framework and Approach for the Displaced Rohingya Children Living in Bangladesh: A Critical Review.

This article is based on a critical review of the Learning Competency Framework and Approach (LCFA) developed for providing education to the Rohingya refugee children living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. A sectoral approach was adopted to develop the LCFA under the leadership of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). To review the LCFA, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was used as an analytical tool. The SWOT analysis showed that the major strengths of the LCFA include its emphasis on pedagogical aspects, the inclusion of content on life skills, and the scope of engaging communities in the implementation phase. However, the major limitations of the LCFA comprised of lack of contents on post-traumatic mental wellbeing, child abuse, trafficking, and technology. In addition, the volume of content seemed too heavy concerning the duration of the levels. It was not clear if the LCFA was a research-based output, other than consultations. Several challenges were identified by this critical review in implementing the LCFA in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. These include a lack of understanding of the Rohingya children's needs, including historical, physical (both geographical and infrastructural), and livelihood, the barrier to comprehending their language and culture, and existing resource constraints for implementing this framework. Considering the Rohingya people's perspectives, this review makes suggestions to ensure the whole education process becomes more operational, effective, successful and sustainable.

Shallow Landslide Site Characterization using Electrical Resistivity Technique (ERT) at Balukhali Rohingya Refugee Camps of Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

As the geotechnical investigation is a challenging task due to natural heterogeneity and the limited data so the cheap surface geoelectric resistivity method is widely applied to know the complex subsurface information. To produce the electrical images for a site located at Balukhali Rohingya Refugee Camps area in Ukhiya-Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, a field data acquisition technique along with RES2DINV software has been performed. Two Wenner soundings on the 25 m and 50 m image lines at every 1 m and 2 m electrode spacing respectively reveal the shallow subsurface lithological variations. On the other hand, 34 samples were collected from two boreholes at different depths and tested under field and laboratory conditions to measure some basic geotechnical properties such as moisture content, grain size distribution, liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, and specific gravity. These geotechnical parameters were compared with the constructed electrical images and confirmed the significance of the electrical resistivity values. Therefore, the geoelectrical resistivity method can be applied as an additional tool to support and enhance conventional geotechnical interpretation purposes as well as shallow landslide site characterization in Bangladesh.

Knowledge and practices of breastfeeding among the lactating mothers of Lambashia Rohingya Refugee Camp at Cox's Bazar

Knowledge and practices of breastfeeding among the lactating mothers of Lambashia Rohingya Refugee Camp at Cox's Bazar

The Hidden Earthquake Induced Liquefaction Risks in the Rohingya Refugee Camp Hills &amp;amp; Surrounding Areas of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—A Geotechnical Engineering Approach

The Hidden Earthquake Induced Liquefaction Risks in the Rohingya Refugee Camp Hills &amp;amp; Surrounding Areas of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—A Geotechnical Engineering Approach

Influence of Seasonal Ground Water Level Fluctuations on the Stability of the Rohingya Refugee Camp Hills of Ukhiya, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—A Threat for Sustainable Development

Influence of Seasonal Ground Water Level Fluctuations on the Stability of the Rohingya Refugee Camp Hills of Ukhiya, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—A Threat for Sustainable Development

SPT Based Liquefaction Potentiality Index, Susceptibility &amp; Risk Assessment in the Rohingya Refugee Camp Hills of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

More than one million Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar, had constructed temporary shelters on the loose unconsolidated sandy hills (SC-SM, SP &amp; ML) of Ukhiya-Teknaf region, Cox’s Bazar area, Bangladesh. After entering Bangladesh, the green eco forests of Ukhiya Hills had to be destroyed by cutting trees and hill slopes as they built their shelters which eventually had destructive effects on the ecosystem of Ukhiya Teknaf region. Sands (SP-SM) are mainly uniformly graded and composed of more than 72% to 98 % sand. This research has been carried out to assess the liquefaction potentiality index vales, susceptibility using SPT and risks associated with the Ukhiya hills at different earthquake magnitudes. During earthquake at Magnitudes 5 or greater, Ukhiya hill soils are susceptible to liquefy up to a depth of 12 m.. From the Liquefaction Potentiality Index (LPI) values, risk and sensitivity analysis, it is established that the Ukhiya hills are medium to highly susceptible to liquefy at higher magnitudes (M= 5 or greater). It is also established that north western part of the camp hills are high to very high risk prone areas. Based on Liquefaction Potentiality Index (LPI) values, four seismic risk zones are identified in and around the Rohingya camp area. Some geo-engineering recommendations are also made to reduce this seismic hazard for sustainable community living in the camp area.

Quantitative soil erosion risk assessment due to rapid urbanization in the Cox’s Bazar district and Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh

Soil erosion due to anthropogenic interventions is an emerging threat to the south-eastern coastal districts of Bangladesh. In the recent decade, land degradation intensified this process in this region due to the settlement of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals popularly known as ‘Rohingya’, who fled from Myanmar in 2017. To control soil erosion, it is necessary to identify the soil erosion locations and their intensity. The present study has attempted to quantify the regional soil loss (from 2015 to 2020) using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model. In this method, soil erosion risk assessments are carried out by integration of different physiographic parameters in the spatial dimension. Results showed that the year 2015 and 2020 witnessed mean soil erosion at a rate of around 58.2 and 59 t ha− 1 yr− 1, respectively in the Cox’s Bazar district in which 20–21% of the study area was highly subjected to soil erosion. But in the Rohingya camps mean soil erosion for these periods is 59 and 78 t ha− 1 yr− 1, respectively with a cumulative increase of 32%. The sub-districts adjacent to the Rohingya refugee camps (Ramu, Ukhia, and Teknaf) have experienced intense erosion compared to the others. From 2015 to 2020, a large increase of about 4.54 (6%) t ha− 1 yr− 1 is observed in the Palongkhali union whereas a maximum decrease of about − 8.08 (23%) t ha− 1 yr− 1 is observed in the Pokkhali union. In Rohingya camps, the worst soil erosion-affected areas are the camps 8E, 10, 14, 15, 16, and 17 having more than 100 t ha− 1 yr− 1 mean soil loss. The geographic detector method is used to identify the influence of different factors on soil erosion. Land use change is found to be the major contributing factor to soil erosion increase from 2015 to 2020. The spatial variations are significantly controlled by slope and elevation factors. This work can help to understand the dynamics of soil erosion and the knowledge can be used for conservation planning in the Cox’s Bazar and Rohingya camp areas.

Resilience analysis of a PV/battery system of health care centres in Rohingya refugee camp

Due to frequent natural disasters, it is required for the energy systems to be more resilient and affordable. Numerous investigations can be found in the publications that proposed renewable energy systems to deliver power to localities. Nevertheless, researchers have yet to explore the resiliency benefits of renewable energy systems in refugee camps. Therefore, in this study, we modelled the performance of a PV/battery system for hypothetical health care centres located in the Rohingya refugee camp, Bangladesh. A 24-h grid outage was assigned to the REopt software to observe the survival possibility of the system. An optimized mixed-integer linear programming model is used as it considers several practical parameters such as reducing total cost sufficiently robust to handle the simulated outages perfectly. The optimum system consists of a 643 kW PV and a 102 kW battery. The potential life cycle savings of the system are $27,212, and the system can successfully handle a 24-h duration outage. The system also reduces CO2 emissions by 69% in resilient mode compared to 44% in financial mode. Therefore, it can contribute to climate change mitigation.

Community-based referral transportation system for accessing emergency obstetric services in the Rohingya refugee camp during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: facilitators and barriers through beneficiaries’ and providers’ lens using a mixed-method design

BackgroundDelays in seeking timely maternity care from health care professionals are crucial to address among the Rohingya population where many preventable pregnancy-related deaths occur within the camps when care is not sought. To address the challenges related to the referral of emergency and routine Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) cases, United Nations Population Fund, through its partners, implemented a community-based referral transportation project called Referral hub. This paper presents the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of this referral transportation system from the perspectives of the beneficiaries and providers.MethodsThe research adopted a sequential explanatory mixed-method design. The quantitative phase consisted of a survey among 100 women while the qualitative phase comprised of in-depth interviews with a total of 12 mothers who used the services and key informant interviews with 21 providers.ResultsThe barriers identified for referral hub are discordant understanding of emergency, strict gender norms and practices, distrust in providers, poor roads and mobile phone networks. The facilitators are partnership with the community, within and other organizations.ConclusionThe study observed that the referral hub has a high potential to increase the utilization of SRHR services. Despite the barriers, the facilitating factors show a scope of improvement for these services.

Role of Biogas in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Energy is an essential need of people; however, people living in displacement settings are often deprived of this basic need. Connecting refugee camps through the main grid is challenging due to their locations. Biogas is an energy source that can be implemented to address the energy need of refugee camps. Implementation of biogas technology can help to reach sustainable development goal-7 (SDG 7) and its synergies in refugee camps. Therefore, in this study, the contribution of biogas in achieving sustainable development goals is presented to address the current gap in the literature. For this, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh were considered as a case study. The waste situation in Rohingya refugee camps is highlighted and considered. Generated biogas from the organic fraction municipal solid (OFMSW) was used to determine the LPG cylinder reduction potential in Rohingya refugee camps. Approximately 497,587 LPG cylinders can be replaced if biogas is used in cooking activities. Moreover, compared to wood fuel, biogas used in cookstoves emits 85% less greenhouse gas. This study underlines the importance of further research to determine the prospective use of biogas in clean cooking in refugee camps.