Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment

Hasan Abidur Rahaman; Nadia Afrin; Sadia T. Mim; Ridwan S.M.H. Rafi; Pramjit Purajit Suhas; Monisha Anindita; Ataur Rahman

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment

Hasan Abidur Rahaman
, Nadia Afrin
, Sadia T. Mim
, Ridwan S.M.H. Rafi
, Pramjit Purajit Suhas
, Monisha Anindita
, Ataur Rahman

School of Engineering

CARE Bangladesh
Independent Researcher
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
North South University

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference Paper › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

About a million Rohingya refugees have been living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since 2017. This huge population has presented a challenge to the Bangladesh Government, NGOs and international communities in relation to the provision of food, water, housing and security. This paper focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) aspects of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Open defecation, shared latrines, and unsafe sludge disposal pose a risk of waterborne diseases (such as Acute Watery Diarrhoea-AWD) in the camp residents, which is prominent during the rainy season. A survey is conducted among camp residents to understand the WASH facilities currently available. A risk assessment is presented in this paper, which identifies key hazards associated with the WASH aspect in the camp. It is found that there is an overall improvement in the WASH facilities among the surveyed people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025
Editors	Ataur Rahman, Dharma Hagare, Zuhaib Siddiqui, Taha B. M. J. Ouarda, Muhammad Muhitur Rahman
Place of Publication	Switzerland
Publisher	Springer Nature Switzerland
Pages	505-516
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032187086
ISBN (Print)	9783032187079, 9783032187109
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45
Publication status	Published - 2026
Event	International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering - Sydney, Australia Duration: 19 Nov 2025 → 21 Nov 2025 Conference number: 4th

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Volume	822 LNCE
ISSN (Print)	2366-2557
ISSN (Electronic)	2366-2565

Conference

Conference	International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering
Abbreviated title	iCWEE
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Sydney
Period	19/11/25 → 21/11/25

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

Keywords

Acute Watery Diarrhoea
Bangladesh
NGO
Rohingya refugees
WASH
Water supply

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

Cite this

Rahaman, H. A., Afrin, N., Mim, S. T., Rafi, R. S. M. H., Suhas, P. P., Anindita, M., & Rahman, A. (2026). Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment. In A. Rahman, D. Hagare, Z. Siddiqui, T. B. M. J. Ouarda, & M. Muhitur Rahman (Eds.), 4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025 (pp. 505-516). (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering; Vol. 822 LNCE). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

Rahaman, Hasan Abidur ; Afrin, Nadia ; Mim, Sadia T. et al. / Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh : a risk assessment. 4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025. editor / Ataur Rahman ; Dharma Hagare ; Zuhaib Siddiqui ; Taha B. M. J. Ouarda ; Muhammad Muhitur Rahman. Switzerland : Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026. pp. 505-516 (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering).

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title = "Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment",

abstract = "About a million Rohingya refugees have been living in Cox{\textquoteright}s Bazar, Bangladesh since 2017. This huge population has presented a challenge to the Bangladesh Government, NGOs and international communities in relation to the provision of food, water, housing and security. This paper focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) aspects of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Open defecation, shared latrines, and unsafe sludge disposal pose a risk of waterborne diseases (such as Acute Watery Diarrhoea-AWD) in the camp residents, which is prominent during the rainy season. A survey is conducted among camp residents to understand the WASH facilities currently available. A risk assessment is presented in this paper, which identifies key hazards associated with the WASH aspect in the camp. It is found that there is an overall improvement in the WASH facilities among the surveyed people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh.",

keywords = "Acute Watery Diarrhoea, Bangladesh, NGO, Rohingya refugees, WASH, Water supply",

author = "Rahaman, \{Hasan Abidur\} and Nadia Afrin and Mim, \{Sadia T.\} and Rafi, \{Ridwan S.M.H.\} and Suhas, \{Pramjit Purajit\} and Monisha Anindita and Ataur Rahman",

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note = "International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering, iCWEE ; Conference date: 19-11-2025 Through 21-11-2025",

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Rahaman, HA, Afrin, N, Mim, ST, Rafi, RSMH, Suhas, PP, Anindita, M & Rahman, A 2026, Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment. in A Rahman, D Hagare, Z Siddiqui, TBMJ Ouarda & M Muhitur Rahman (eds), 4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol. 822 LNCE, Springer Nature Switzerland, Switzerland, pp. 505-516, International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering, Sydney, Australia, 19/11/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment. / Rahaman, Hasan Abidur; Afrin, Nadia; Mim, Sadia T. et al.
4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025. ed. / Ataur Rahman; Dharma Hagare; Zuhaib Siddiqui; Taha B. M. J. Ouarda; Muhammad Muhitur Rahman. Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026. p. 505-516 (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering; Vol. 822 LNCE).

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference Paper › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh

T2 - International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering

AU - Rahaman, Hasan Abidur

AU - Afrin, Nadia

AU - Mim, Sadia T.

AU - Rafi, Ridwan S.M.H.

AU - Suhas, Pramjit Purajit

AU - Anindita, Monisha

AU - Rahman, Ataur

N1 - Conference code: 4th

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - About a million Rohingya refugees have been living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since 2017. This huge population has presented a challenge to the Bangladesh Government, NGOs and international communities in relation to the provision of food, water, housing and security. This paper focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) aspects of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Open defecation, shared latrines, and unsafe sludge disposal pose a risk of waterborne diseases (such as Acute Watery Diarrhoea-AWD) in the camp residents, which is prominent during the rainy season. A survey is conducted among camp residents to understand the WASH facilities currently available. A risk assessment is presented in this paper, which identifies key hazards associated with the WASH aspect in the camp. It is found that there is an overall improvement in the WASH facilities among the surveyed people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh.

AB - About a million Rohingya refugees have been living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since 2017. This huge population has presented a challenge to the Bangladesh Government, NGOs and international communities in relation to the provision of food, water, housing and security. This paper focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) aspects of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Open defecation, shared latrines, and unsafe sludge disposal pose a risk of waterborne diseases (such as Acute Watery Diarrhoea-AWD) in the camp residents, which is prominent during the rainy season. A survey is conducted among camp residents to understand the WASH facilities currently available. A risk assessment is presented in this paper, which identifies key hazards associated with the WASH aspect in the camp. It is found that there is an overall improvement in the WASH facilities among the surveyed people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh.

KW - Acute Watery Diarrhoea

KW - Bangladesh

KW - NGO

KW - Rohingya refugees

KW - WASH

KW - Water supply

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105031877101

UR - https://go.openathens.net/redirector/westernsydney.edu.au?url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

DO - 10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:105031877101

SN - 9783032187079

SN - 9783032187109

T3 - Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering

SP - 505

EP - 516

BT - 4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025

A2 - Rahman, Ataur

A2 - Hagare, Dharma

A2 - Siddiqui, Zuhaib

A2 - Ouarda, Taha B. M. J.

A2 - Muhitur Rahman, Muhammad

PB - Springer Nature Switzerland

CY - Switzerland

Y2 - 19 November 2025 through 21 November 2025

ER -

Rahaman HA, Afrin N, Mim ST, Rafi RSMH, Suhas PP, Anindita M et al. Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment. In Rahman A, Hagare D, Siddiqui Z, Ouarda TBMJ, Muhitur Rahman M, editors, 4th International Conference on Water and Environmental Engineering: Proceedings of iCWEE 2025. Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland. 2026. p. 505-516. (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering). doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-18708-6_45

Water and sanitation at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a risk assessment

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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