Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s ‘hot zone for climate threats’

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – Climate experts in Bangladesh have expressed concern about the huge refugee camps here – some of the largest in the world – which are located in an extremely hot zone.

Cox’s Bazar, a coastal area in southeastern Bangladesh, is prone to cyclones, wildfires and landslides.

Without swift action and investment to combat climate change, Bangladesh’s coastal population and the estimated one million Rohingya refugees it hosts are under serious threat, analysts say.

Although it narrowly escaped the worst effects of Cyclone Mocha, the area remains at high risk, scientists warn.

Saleemul Huq, a climate scientist and director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development, said landslides are the biggest problem in the Rohingya camps. Forecasting heavy rainfall patterns and cyclones is a challenging task, and this became evident during the recent encounter with Cyclone Mocha.

“While Bangladesh as a whole is well prepared, Cox’s Bazar remains a hot zone for climate threats,” Huq told Al Jazeera.

“The timing of cyclones is unpredictable, as we saw with the recent threat towards Cox’s Bazar. Although the camps are aware of the problems, the lack of cyclone shelters is a major problem. Unlike other coastal areas in Bangladesh, the camps do not have proper shelters.”

If a cyclone directly hit Cox’s Bazar, the situation would be catastrophic, he said.

“Bangladesh has made progress in tackling climate change, but we must recognize that there are no cyclone centers in the camps, which puts Rohingyas in grave danger.”

The climate scientist said action needs to be taken to prepare the camps for the coming weather-related disasters.

“As the impacts of human-induced climate change become increasingly apparent and visible, leading to significant losses and damage, it is imperative that all actors, including governments and others, work together in a society-wide approach moving forward,” Huq said.

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-sensitive countries in the world and tens of millions of people could be forced to flee its low-lying coastline if sea levels rise in the coming years.

‘could have been dead’

In the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, which hit the neighboring state of Rakhine in western Myanmar hardest, Cox’s Bazaar district was hit with more than 450,000 people, including more than 21,000 Rohingya refugees.

Nur Ayesha, a 25-year-old Rohingya, shared her harrowing experience and the challenges her family is facing after the storm.

“On the day of the cyclone, my children went to school while I stayed home with my youngest daughter,” Nur Ayesha recalled.

“Suddenly a tree in the house fell on me while I was cutting fish to prepare our meal. It was lucky that the tree wasn’t too big, because both my daughter and I could have been killed. Trees fell from all sides of my house, leaving my house broken, and the solar panel was blown away. My husband is now repairing the solar panel.

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Nur Ayesha expressed his disappointment at the lack of support from aid organizations for the clean-up. “No one has given me bamboo or any other material to repair my house. In the area where I used to do farming, I managed to collect some bamboo myself. I want to strengthen my household, but it is difficult to get the necessary materials.”

‘Fire in the Flames’

Laila Begum, a 50-year-old woman from the camps, urged better preparation for the consequences of extreme weather and described her experience with Cyclone Mokka.

“The wind blew off the reeds, destroying our clothes and belongings inside. With no men in the household, just me and my daughters, we were terrified and drenched in the torrential rain. Water poured into the house from the downpour. We need a stronger base to prevent such incidents in the future,” Begum told Al Jazeera.

The camps are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The materials used to build shelters are highly susceptible to fire, a reality that contributes to a pervasive sense of insecurity and helplessness among residents.

Mohammad Hasan, 60, a Rohingya refugee, expressed concern about the proximity of homes in the camps and the risks of scorching temperatures.

“Each house is close to another and if a fire broke out we would have no choice but to burn in the flames,” he said.

Nur Islam, a 42-year-old refugee shopkeeper in the camps, hurried home as the winds from Cyclone Mocha picked up. “My cousin and I fixed the thatched roof of our house and shop and anchored the solar panels with ropes to protect them from the cyclone.

“The government and NGOs provided aid to people with total losses, but families with less damage received no help. I had some materials that I used to strengthen my house, but I need stronger materials.”

Hope for tomorrow?

Sanjeev Kafley, of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), highlighted the serious climate threats faced by Rohingya refugees and their hosts along the Bangladesh coast.

“It is essential to recognize that these challenges extend beyond the boundaries of the camps and affect the wider local community.

Cyclones do not discriminate; they affect both the camps and the host community,” says Kafley.

“This crisis remains unpredictable with an uncertain duration and an unknown future. The need for continued humanitarian assistance is undeniable, making it critical for us to explore strategies to ensure our actions are both sustainable and climate-conscious.”

Kafley linked the challenges of climate threats in the refugee camps to the desperation among the Rohingya population.

“If you don’t have hope, it’s painful, we actually all survive with hope. These risk factors around climate change in the camps persist due to the lack of a sustainable solution. There is no hope,” he said.

“We need to explore how the global community perceives this agenda and join forces to support climate-friendly humanitarian actions in Cox’s Bazar.”