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Drinking Water Security Challenges in Rohingya Refugee Camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Author

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  • Mehereen Akhter

    (Environmental Sciences Program, Asian University for Women, 20/A MM Ali Road, Chattogram 4000, Bangladesh)

  • Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin

    (Environmental Sciences Program, Asian University for Women, 20/A MM Ali Road, Chattogram 4000, Bangladesh)

  • Nazifa Rafa

    (Environmental Sciences Program, Asian University for Women, 20/A MM Ali Road, Chattogram 4000, Bangladesh)

  • Sanjida Marium Hridi

    (School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada)

  • Chad Staddon

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK)

  • Wayne Powell

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK)

Abstract

About a million Rohingyas have fled due to the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh. The refugees are located in temporary settlements on hilly areas of Cox’s Bazar with inadequate water and sanitation facilities, giving rise to diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. This exploratory study reports drinking water security challenges in two Rohingya refugee camps within the larger camp network—Camp 2 and the recently-built Camp 4 Extension (Camp 4Ext)—to discover the key everyday issues refugees are facing related to drinking water. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been applied to determining whether contamination is occurring during the collection, transportation, and storage of drinking water by comparing the water quality at the source with that in storage. The results show that Camp 4Ext is more suited for living in several respects compared with the other camps, attributable to significantly better planning during its construction: there is a lower prevalence of diseases, lower water collection times, higher standards of sanitation, and better access to water sources. This study’s outcomes will help camp authorities and the various agencies working there to provide sustainable water and sanitation interventions to improve the wellness of the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. The outcomes will also provide useful information and strategic direction to the global scientific and development communities who are working in refugee camps in other parts of the world, to tackle water security challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehereen Akhter & Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin & Nazifa Rafa & Sanjida Marium Hridi & Chad Staddon & Wayne Powell, 2020. "Drinking Water Security Challenges in Rohingya Refugee Camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7325-:d:410008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Uddin, Sayed Mohammad Nazim & Muhandiki, Victor S. & Sakai, Akira & Al Mamun, Abdullah & Hridi, Sanjida Marium, 2014. "Socio-cultural acceptance of appropriate technology: Identifying and prioritizing barriers for widespread use of the urine diversion toilets in rural Muslim communities of Bangladesh," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 32-39.
    2. R. A. Sugden & T. M. F. Smith & R. P. Jones, 2000. "Cochran's rule for simple random sampling," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 62(4), pages 787-793.
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    Cited by:

    1. S M Asik Ullah & Kazuo Asahiro & Masao Moriyama & Masakazu Tani, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status Changes of the Host Communities after the Rohingya Refugee Influx in the Southern Coastal Area of Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Hemal Chowdhury & Tamal Chowdhury & Ayyoob Sharifi & Richard Corkish & Sadiq M. Sait, 2022. "Role of Biogas in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Khadija Mitu & Nicola Jones & Joost Vintges & Megan Devonald, 2022. "Climate Risks and Truncated Opportunities: How Do Environmental Challenges Intersect with Economic and Social Disadvantages for Rohingya Adolescents in Bangladesh?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Himangshu Dutta, 2023. "The Environmental Aspects of Refugee Crises: Insights from South Asia, Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 913-938, June.
    5. Nuhu Amin & Mahbubur Rahman & Mahbub-Ul Alam & Abul Kasham Shoab & Md. Kawsar Alome & Maksudul Amin & Tarique Md. Nurul Huda & Leanne Unicomb, 2021. "Field Trial of an Automated Batch Chlorinator System at Two Shared Shallow Tubewells among Camps for Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Alina Maciejewska & Łukasz Kuzak & Marianna Ulanicka-Raczyńska & Yaryna Onufriv, 2023. "Use of Field Reserves in Emergencies as Assessed by Urban Residents and Refugees in Warsaw and Lviv during the War in Ukraine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    7. Mallik Akram Hossain & A. K. M. Ahsan Ullah & Md. Mohiuddin, 2023. "Rohingya refugees in the pandemic: Crisis and policy responses," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(1), pages 183-191, February.
    8. ASG Faruque & Baharul Alam & Baitun Nahar & Irin Parvin & Ashok Kumar Barman & Soroar Hossain Khan & M Nasif Hossain & Yulia Widiati & ASM Mainul Hasan & Minjoon Kim & Martin Worth & Maya Vandenent & , 2022. "Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Practices and Outreach Services in Settlements for Rohingya Population in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 2018–2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.

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