ABSTRACT
The Rohingya are an ethnic minority group in Myanmar who have crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh for decades due to persecution, putting uneven pressure on Bangladesh’s scarce resources. Bangladesh is now home to approximately one million Rohingya refugees. The refugees appear to be highly vulnerable to COVID-19, owing to the health risks associated with displacement, overcrowding, increased climatic exposure due to substandard shelter, and poor nutritional and health status among affected populations. The Rohingya influx has placed an extraordinary economic burden on host communities, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that inequality is growing in areas where refugees are concentrated: the poorest have been hit the hardest by price increases, the lockdown effect, and wage pressure. Besides, residents are concerned that the next five years will significantly increase criminality, particularly among youth, and in using weapons and drugs. Despite efforts by donors and aid organizations to implement conflict-sensitive programming, some locals believe that programs are not conflict-sensitive enough and that support is unfairly prioritized for Rohingyas during the pandemic.
