ASSESSMENT OF COPING STRATEGIES OF ROHINGYAS IN TWO UPAZILAS IN COX’S BAZAAR DISTRICT, BANGLADESH July-August, 2017 Dhaka, Bangladesh i RESEARCH TEAM Principal Investigator Dr. Mausumi Mahapatro Members of Research Team Quinh McGrath, Intern, IOM Faishal Hoq Azad, Enumerator Nur Hossain, Enumerator Lima Das, Enumerator Research Advisor Dr. Ishita Shruti ii CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ II ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................... VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................... VII CHAPTER I BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 8 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 11 2.1. Key Methods Used ......................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Target Areas .................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1 Socioeconomic class (SEC) .......................................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Household conditions in the last 12 months ............................................................................... 12 2.2.3 Leda Makeshift Settlement ......................................................................................................... 13 2.2.4 Shamlapur .................................................................................................................................. 13 2.3 Target Groups ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.3.1 Defining Household Categories .................................................................................................. 14 2.3.2 Conceptual Blurs in Classification ............................................................................................... 14 2.4 Additional terms, concepts, and definitions ................................................................................... 14 2.5 Data Collection ................................................................................................................................ 15 2.6 Limitations ...................................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER III A PROFILE OF THE REGION .................................................................................................................. 17 3.1 Teknaf ............................................................................................................................................. 18 3.2 Ukiah ............................................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER IV COPING MECHANISMS OF ROHINGYAS IN BANGLADESH .................................................................... 19 4.1 Predominant Coping Strategies ..................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1 Selling, Sharing, and Exchanging Food Rations .......................................................................... 20 4.1.2 Collecting and Selling Fuel Wood ............................................................................................... 21 4.1.3 Remittances, Loans, and Begging ............................................................................................... 22 4.1.4 Migration .................................................................................................................................... 22 4.1.5 Local Markets, Trading, and Services ......................................................................................... 23 4.1.6 Day Labour ................................................................................................................................. 23 4.1.7 Wage Work ................................................................................................................................. 23 4.1.8 Intermixing ................................................................................................................................. 24 4.1.9 Farming and Animal Husbandry ................................................................................................. 24 4.2 Specific Labour Markets Linked to Rohingyas Coping Strategies................................................... 25 4.2.1 Salt Farms ................................................................................................................................... 25 4.2.2 Shrimp Farming .......................................................................................................................... 25 iii 4.2.3 Fishing ........................................................................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER V FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................ 27 5.1. Distinctions and Commonalities in Coping Strategies .................................................................... 27 5.2. Distinctions Acrosss Demographic Cohorts .................................................................................... 33 5.3 Mobility ........................................................................................................................................... 34 5.4 Detrimental Coping Strategies ........................................................................................................ 36 5.5 Exploitative Practices ...................................................................................................................... 40 5.6 Determinants of Overall Welfare .................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER VI CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................................... 42 6.1. Predominant Threats and Vulnerabilities ....................................................................................... 42 6.1.1 Conflicts Over Resources............................................................................................................. 42 6.1.2 Extremism ................................................................................................................................... 42 6.1.3 Risky Coping Strategies .............................................................................................................. 43 6.2. Distinctions and Commonalities in Coping Strategies .................................................................... 43 6.3 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 44 ANNEX: .................................................................................................................................................................. 48 ANNEX: 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 48 ANNEX: II ....................................................................................................................................................... 49 iv TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1 : Incidence of Rohingyas in Two Upazilas of Cox’s Bazaar ....................................................................... 17 Table 2 : Typology of Coping Strategies and Livelihoods ...................................................................................... 28 Table 3 : Incidence of Different Economic Strategies Across Settlements for Sampled Households .................. 29 Table 4 : Comparing Wages Across Farms ........................................................................................................... 30 Table 5 : Livelihood Zones .................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 6 : Livelihoods Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework ................................................................... 32 Figure 1 : Incidence of Livelihoods Across Broad Categories................................................................................ 27 Figure 2 : Incidence of Mobiliy Across Settlements .............................................................................................. 34 Figure 3 : Top Destinations for Rohingyas in Target Areas .................................................................................