On 4 December 2020, 1,642 Rohingya refugees were relocated from Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char island in the Bay of Bengal. Water is scarce in most locations. One of our big concerns was that the shallow tube wells could have resulted in outbreaks of water-related diseases. Everything I owned was burned down – I’ve lost everything,” says Nurul Amin, 35, a refugee in Cox’s Bazar. "I am not ready to return before Rohingyas gets citizenship and I can return to my land in safety.". In addition, more than half of the Rohingya refugees in the camps are children. Our teams carry out regular hygiene sessions in the refugee sites to raise awareness regarding safe water collection within the community. In December, Bangladeshi authorities began relocating Rohingya refugees from crowded camps in the southern Cox's Bazar region to the island. In August of last year, extreme violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes. More than half of the estimated 412,000 Rohingya who have escaped Myanmar’s military crackdown live in makeshift sites without proper shelter, clean drinking water and sanitation. A further 1,804 Rohingya refugees were relocated on 29 December. To avoid this possibility, we began replacing emergency latrines with new, more hygienic designs approved by water and sanitation experts and the Bangladesh government. Photo: Ingebjørg Kårstad/NRC. It did not happen.". This is why UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and partners have stepped up their efforts throughout 2018 to … NORCAP is a global provider of expertise to the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors. Sometimes water can be contaminated while people collect or carry water. How involved have refugees been in planning water networks/tap stands for the future? Within Cox’s Bazar, they live in various locations, including in two registered refugee camps, and numerous makeshift camps and spontaneous settlements. Flooding into Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh, the refugees joined more than 200,000 Rohingya who had fled years before. COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, January 28 (UNHCR) - In many countries, when you reach the age of 21 you become an adult and must start to fend for yourself. With a total population of 2,290,000 and an estimated inflow of some 655,500 Rohingya refugees since August 2017, Cox’s Bazar is today one of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable districts, with a poverty rate that far exceeds the country’s national average. With continued violence and discrimination against the Rohingya in Myanmar, there is little hope that the refugees will be able to go home anytime soon. Water facilities powered by solar energy in Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh. We build partnerships with international organisations and national actors to protect lives, rights and livelihoods. The vast Rohingya population has seriously impacted social and economic sectors of Cox’s Bazar. The situation is particularly grim in the camps where more than 4,000 families have been affected, many of whom … The water levels fall sharply, making it very difficult to pump water. Now that the installation is complete, both the community and refugees give us regular feedback on the maintenance of the pipe network, tap stands, as well as solar panels, so that we can avoid shortages. Refugee Nurul Amin, 35, watches families arrive in the mega refugee camp of Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar.   |  Français. What has been the most rewarding part of your job? Solar was the most efficient and environmentally friendly option, as well as the most cost-effective. Chlorination – adding chlorine to kill bacteria and microbes in the water – is a life-saver in refugee sites of this scale. Janoara is in touch with family members who stayed behind in Myanmar and they are advising her not to return. In this part of Bangladesh, we experience a water crisis during the dry season – from end of November through April or May. Discussions are taking place with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as well as other donors, and will also require support from the Bangladesh government. The mass human exodus that began last autumn from Myanmar to Bangladesh has turned Cox’s Bazar into the world’s largest refugee settlement. Most Rohingya have sought refuge in and around Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. It is in Ukhia, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, inhabited mostly by Rohingya refugees that fled from ethnic and religious persecution in neighboring Myanmar. The Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar: When the Stateless Seek Refuge Abhishek Bhatia, Ayesha Mahmud, Arlan Fuller, Rebecca Shin, Azad Rahman, Tanvir Shatil, Mahmuda Sultana, K. A. M Morshed, Jennifer Leaning, and Satchit Balsari “I have not cooked any food for my children today. © UNHCR/Areez Tanbeen Rahman. They are on their way from the UN transit centre to their new homes inside the camp. The plight of the Rohingya refugees must not be forgotten, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said during her second visit to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. Fears Rohingya refugees face disaster after Covid-19 reaches Cox's Bazar This article is more than 5 months old Aid groups say coronavirus could … Like Nurul Amin, the majority of refugees in Cox’s Bazar belong to the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group. I exchanged some food items for fuel, but now I do not have enough to eat.”. Information, counselling and legal assistance. What level of knowledge do families have about the need to have clean water sources? If it had not been the case, we could have seen a massive outbreak of diseases in the camps. The Rohingya came in large number also in 1978 and 1992 but many have not left Bangladesh. Despite the ongoing relocation of people to safer ground, the camps in Cox’s Bazar are still severely overcrowded, with only 10.7 square metres per person. NRC works to protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable persons during crisis. Shallow tube wells can be installed within three to four days, whereas deep tube wells require three to four weeks. Work is almost impossible to find and educational opportunities for his four children are limited. What kind of physical and other challenges has UNHCR faced since the start of the emergency to provide clean water for so many people living in very difficult conditions? Bangladesh Rohingya Rohingya refugee Nasima Khatun, mother of a 25-year-old man stranded on a boat, speaks with the Associated Press at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh/NEW YORK, 9 July 2019 – Thousands of children and families living in the Rohingya refugee camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar in south-eastern Bangladesh are at risk from flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the last few days. Our solar-powered water chlorination project required large spaces to place the overhead tanks, install the solar panels, boreholes and pipe networks. Being a single mother in the camp is hard, and she is struggling to manage. We have redirected you to a site for your country, if this was not correct, please use the link to go back. "A big investment is needed  to find a sustainable solution to meet water demands.". Janoara fled from Myanmar in late August, 2017 after the military attacked her village, killed her grandfather and torched her house. The deep tube wells pump enough water for the population, but the main problem is how to monitor and maintain thousands of water points. The hilly topography of the mega Balukhali-Kutupalong refugee settlement has been the biggest challenge. As the world continues to search for an answer, one million Rohingya refugees are forced to face life in Cox’s Bazar with terrifying uncertainty. I do not feel safe enough to go out and collect firewood. NRC.NO/NORCAP. Relocation is planned for 100,000 refugees. Most refugees understand that it is important to have safe and clean water to avoid diseases. Prior to the latest massive refugee influx in August 2017, the Kutupalong refugee camps had 134 deep tube wells. Most shelters were built at the top or on the sides of hills, around 40 to 60 feet above ground. We can provide technical support but support from the community has been crucial in implementing the projects. The lack of space in the camps has also been a major challenge for us. This is why UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and partners have stepped up their efforts throughout 2018 to address the massive water and sanitation needs. ... the refugee population in Cox’s Bazar more than quadrupled. Read more about us. More than 900,000 Rohingya refugees live across 36 different locations in Cox’s Bazar area, in south-eastern Bangladesh.