Rohingya Refugee and Humanitarian Crisis: Synergies within Bangladesh Government and Humanitarian community (Case study: WASH for Rohingya Refugees)

Abstract: Humanitarian Crisis is an alarming problem throughout the world. Bangladesh also is undergoing Rohingya refugee crisis with grave severity and challenges. Over 1 million Rohingya people have been settled over the top of hills, living without inadequate WASH facilities. This study tried to analyse the humanitarian crisis by Pressures-States-Responses framework depicting the factors exacerbating the situation, its impact and responses to overcome the crisis. Results showed that unplanned water and sanitation structures, risk of landslides and soil erosion with flooding and wind-storms during monsoon, lack of coordination, unavailability of fund etc. are inflaming the crisis creating severe health problem to the vulnerable people. Hence, to overcome the crisis, a synergies mechanism within Bangladesh and Humanitarian communities like UN agencies, LNGOs, INGOs etc. had been established. To solve WASH crisis, WASH Sector, leaded by DPHE, on behalf of Bangladesh, and co-chaired by UNICEF and Action Against Hunger had taken several respone activities. Besides, UNHCR, IOM, MSF, OXFAM, BRAC etc. are collaboraing each other to improve WASH crisis. Responses also had been taken by Bangladesh Government funded by World Bank and ADB. Yet to progess a lot, hence multilateral discussion within countries and agencies, water safety plan, rain water harvesting, hill slopes strengthening and more studies and research are recommended to initiate in this study.