Habitat is responding to the long-standing Rohingya refugee crisis

The Rohingya people have endured decades of persecution and violence, culminating in a brutal military crackdown in 2017. Forced to flee their homes, nearly a million Rohingya sought refuge in Bangladesh, where they now live in sprawling camps in Cox’s Bazar. In 2025, life in the Rohingya camps remains challenging, with refugees facing overcrowding, inadequate shelter, and limited access to clean water and sanitation.

In response to this ongoing crisis, Habitat for Humanity is working in Rohingya camps to address critical needs for shelter and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities.

These efforts aim to improve living conditions while empowering communities with tools and knowledge to maintain safer, healthier environments in the future.

Rohingya refugees are living in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar on the coast of Bangladesh, which together make up the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Complicated geopolitical circumstances are leaving people in camps for years and the reality of living in indecent homes is serious; as recently as December 2023, it was reported that 73% of households in Camps 13, 19, and 8E were living with shelters ranging from “degrading living conditions” to “total collapse of living standards, with potentially immediately life threatening outcomes”.

Habitat for Humanity is working to address inadequate shelter in three Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, including Camp 13, the second most populated camp in Cox’s Bazar with a population of just over 46,800.

For families living here, they face harsh conditions such as overcrowding, harsh weather, and limited access to basic necessities. Many of the shelters are damaged, leaving families exposed to the threat of monsoon season, landslides, heavy rain, and fire outbreaks.

Since mid-2024, Habitat has repaired 300 shelters and restored 200 tubewells (a source of drinking water) and sanitation facilities—lifelines for clean water and hygiene. In some camps, anywhere from five to nine households can share one latrine, meaning repairs to one sanitation facility can improve the living conditions of many people.

Repairs include fixing critical roof leaks, reinforcing walls, and adding bracing to protect against extreme weather. The assessments also identify high priority groups to support first, such as women-headed homes and people living with a disability, who often face additional challenges in maintaining safe homes for their families.

The programme also goes beyond patching up structures; shelter material bundles are being distributed, and refugees are learning how to maintain their homes through group training sessions. Hygiene training takes place after upgrading facilities, equipping families with knowledge to maintain clean and healthy environments. Local workers are also being trained, ensuring these skills stay within the community.

For the families in Camps 13, 19, and 8E, these changes mean more than just better shelters—they mean safer nights, healthier days, and a chance to focus on the future.