A Study on the Socio-Economic Analysis and Social Challenges of Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Abstract
The influx of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh has had sweeping economic and social implications, especially in Cox’s Bazar, although hardly systematic research has focused on household-level conditions with respect to the wider socio-economic predicament. This missing link is the subject of this paper, where we explore how refugee households make a living and how these circumstances affect social stability, economic resources, and integration in the host society. Adopting a multi-method approach, primary data were collected among 204 refugee households through structured questionnaires that were complemented by focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and direct field observations, which were analyzed using regression and ANOVA models. The study shows that, despite low average household incomes and limited employment opportunities, high food expenditures and restricted access to health care, education, and safe housing generate vulnerability. Regression results suggest that household size, education, and the gender of the household head have significant influences on income and expenditure, while the social constraints, such as food security and risk of trafficking or strained relations between communities, work to destabilize. The paper concludes that the crisis will only further deteriorate human security and host-refugee relations in the absence of well-designed policy actions to address immediate needs and promote long-term livelihoods. These observations inform policy discussions by underlining the importance of moving towards inclusive development approaches, improved provision of services, and social cohesion programs that can provide scale-up opportunities.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Md. Saukat Hossain, Al Mohtasim Billah, Md.Farhanul Islam, A.T.M Rezaul Hoque, Md Rakibul Islam, A N H Angona, Md. Sadman Rabby, Md. Arman Hossain
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