Water Scarcity in Rohingya Refugee Camps: Rohingya Community Situation Report

Grassroots Data Analysis and Call for Action

February 2026. Cox’s Bazar Refugee Camps, Bangladesh

Coverage: 33 Camps (community network sampling)

Reporting and Photography by Maung Emdadul Hasan

As the dry season begins, Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar report significant water shortages. A rapid survey was conducted across three community WhatsApp networks, reaching over 2,500 members including teachers, students, and humanitarian volunteers.

Of the 387 verified respondents, nearly 50% report that the majority of residents in their blocks face current or imminent water scarcity. This report provides real-time data for international donors, UN agencies, and the Government of Bangladesh.

Methodology

• Platform: Three Rohingya community WhatsApp groups (2,516 total participants).

• Respondents: Community leaders, teachers, volunteers, and residents across 33 camps.

• Sample Size: 387 unique votes.

• Survey Question: "In your area, what percentage of people are currently facing water shortages, or will face them this summer?

Aggregate Data Analysis

The following data combines voting results from all three surveyed groups

Severity of Shortage (% of neighbours without adequate water)	Total Votes	Percentage of Survey	Risk Level
0% - 20% Affected	102	26.4%	Low / Stable
21% - 40% Affected	92	23.8%	Moderate Stress
41% - 60% Affected	104	26.9%	High Risk
61% - 80% Affected	41	10.6%	Severe Scarcity
81% - 100% Affected	48	12.4%	Critical

Selected Community Observations

The following examples represent the 33 camps surveyed, detailing the specific causes of the crisis:

• Infrastructure Failure (Camp 13): Respondent Shobo Kodor reports that the NGO Forum provides water for only one hour, four days a week. Families spend 500 BDT monthly to supplement their supply.

• Geographical Barriers (Camp 20 Ext): Monsur Alam notes that residents on hilltops receive only 2–3 pots of water due to low pressure and distance from distribution points.

• Economic Burden (Camp 26): Faruk Alam reports that households are forced to buy water because the allotted four pitchers per family are insufficient for basic needs.

• Maintenance Delays (Camp 4 Ext): Nur Mostafa highlights frequent breakdowns and slow repair times for solar-powered NGO facilities.

• Water Quality (Camp 06): Sadekur Rahaman reports that the available water has high iron content and is supplied for very limited durations.

Note: Full data for all 387 respondents and 33 camps is archived and available for humanitarian stakeholders upon request.

Analysis Findings

• High-Risk Areas: 49.9% of respondents live in areas where water systems fail to meet the needs of at least half the population.

• Infrastructure Collapse: 12.4% of respondents report near-total failure of water access (81-100% affected). In these blocks, solar-powered networks and tube wells are frequently inoperable.

• Economic Impact: When NGO facilities fail, refugees report spending up to 500 BDT per month to purchase water from local sources, creating a significant financial burden.

Contextual Overview

Groundwater extraction in the camps exceeds 15 million liters daily, causing water tables to drop by 5 to 9 meters in some sectors. This environmental strain disproportionately affects hilly settlements and spontaneous sites. Inadequate maintenance of tap stands and seasonal depletion of shallow aquifers have turned water access into a protection issue, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases and physical exhaustion from fetching water in difficult terrain.

Recommendations

1. Emergency Distribution: Immediate water trucking is required for "Red Zone" blocks where 80-100% of the population lacks access.

2. Infrastructure Upgrades: Prioritize funding for deep-water extraction and solar-powered networks capable of functioning during the dry season.

3. Maintenance: Increase the frequency of repairs for broken tap stands and solar pumping systems.

4. Community Monitoring: Establish formal partnerships with refugee-led initiatives to monitor water levels and infrastructure status weekly.

Conclusion

Data indicates that water scarcity is a widespread crisis across the Cox’s Bazar camps. Without immediate intervention and infrastructure repair before the peak of summer, the community faces a humanitarian emergency regarding health and sanitation.