Rohingya refugees and its impact on informal economy: Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

Published: Jan 19, 2024

Abstract:

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether refugees in Cox's Bazar area of Bangladesh can successfully integrate into the informal economic sector. This evaluation was carried out by comparing the actions of refugees in the labor market with those of the local population.

Research methodology: This study used survey data from two population groupings. The sample size included 300 Rohingya refugees and 300 locals from Coxs' Bazar, where they are now living. ANOVA was employed to compare the category mean differences owing to the limited sample size. The calculations would include wealth, occupation, language, religion, and race as labor market barriers.

Results: The data indicated significant disparities in both types of occupations and monthly incomes between local workers and refugee workers. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that Rohingya refugees encounter greater challenges when entering the job market than local workers.

Limitations: Refugees in Bangladesh are unable to work. They must stay at local and international NGO (Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2014). No Bangladeshi labor legislation has protected them. Bangladeshi authorities can also imprison refugees on illicit travel. A good Rohingya refugee policy in Bangladesh is crucial to human rights.

Contribution: The Rohingya Muslim population in Myanmar has been subjected to genocide, resulting in their expulsion and subsequent migration to neighboring countries. Bangladesh is the primary host nation for the Rohingya group from Myanmar, which has sought safety there as refugees for many years. Due to their lack of legal employment opportunities in Bangladesh, these refugees engage in informal economic operations and participate in various criminal activities inside the place where they reside.

Keywords:
1. Rohingya refugees
2. Economy
3. Bangladesh
Authors:
1 . Moutusi Tanha
2 . Maliha Ahmed Siddique
3 . Md. Nurulhoque
4 . Md. Monirul Islam Sumon
5 . Rawshan Sazin
6 . Peas Hossain
How to Cite
Tanha, M., Siddique, M. A., Nurulhoque, M., Sumon, M. M. I., Sazin, R., & Hossain, P. (2024). Rohingya refugees and its impact on informal economy: Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Journal of Governance and Accountability Studies, 3(1), 63–83. https://doi.org/10.35912/jgas.v3i1.1896

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References

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    Amnesty. (2018). Myanmar: Fresh evidence of ongoing ethnic cleansing as military starves, abducts and robs Rohingya. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/02/myanmar-fresh-evidence-of-ongoing-ethnic-cleansing-as-military-starves-abducts-robs-rohingya/

    Beech, H. (2020). From Crowded Camps to a Remote Island: Rohingya Refugees Move Again. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/world/asia/rohingya-bangladesh-island-camps.html

    Borjas, G. J., & Katz, L. F. (2007). The evolution of the Mexican-born workforce in the United States. Paper presented at the Mexican immigration to the United States.

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    Chen, M. A., Jhabvala, R., & Lund, F. (2002). Supporting workers in the informal economy: A policy framework: International Labour Office Geneva.

    Chike, N. K., Mbamalu, E. I., Oguanobi, C. A., & Egbunike, C. F. (2023). Big Data Analytics and market competitiveness of selected firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(4), 251-269.

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    Ozden, C., & Wagner, M. C. (2014). Immigrant versus natives? Displacement and job creation. Displacement and Job Creation. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper(6900).

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    Pischke, J.-S., & Velling, J. (1997). Employment effects of immigration to Germany: an analysis based on local labor markets. Review of Economics and Statistics, 79(4), 594-604.

    Poyil, S. T. (2020). National identity and conceptualization of nationalism among Rohingya. Citizenship, Nationalism and Refugeehood of Rohingyas in Southern Asia, 31-50.

    Pratap, S., & Quintin, E. (2006). The informal sector in developing countries: Output, assets and employement. Paper presented at the WIDER Research Paper, No. 2006/130, ISBN 9291909149, The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics.

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    Suharto, S., Ningsih, N., & Ali, K. (2022). Pengendalian Kerusakan Produk Pada Industri Rumahan Mitra Keluarga Kabupaten Lampung Timur. Derivatif: Jurnal Manajemen, 16(2), 351-361.

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  2. AlJazeera. (2021). Bangladesh to move more Rohingya refugees to remote island. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/27/bangladesh-to-move-more-rohingya-muslims-to-remote-island
  3. Alt?nda?, O., Bak??, O., & Rozo, S. V. (2020). Blessing or burden? Impacts of refugees on businesses and the informal economy. Journal of Development Economics, 146, 102490.
  4. Amnesty. (2018). Myanmar: Fresh evidence of ongoing ethnic cleansing as military starves, abducts and robs Rohingya. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/02/myanmar-fresh-evidence-of-ongoing-ethnic-cleansing-as-military-starves-abducts-robs-rohingya/
  5. Beech, H. (2020). From Crowded Camps to a Remote Island: Rohingya Refugees Move Again. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/world/asia/rohingya-bangladesh-island-camps.html
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  7. Borjas, G. J., & Monras, J. (2017). The labour market consequences of refugee supply shocks. Economic Policy, 32(91), 361-413.
  8. Chen, M. A., Jhabvala, R., & Lund, F. (2002). Supporting workers in the informal economy: A policy framework: International Labour Office Geneva.
  9. Chike, N. K., Mbamalu, E. I., Oguanobi, C. A., & Egbunike, C. F. (2023). Big Data Analytics and market competitiveness of selected firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(4), 251-269.
  10. Chow, T. W., & Singh, H. (2022). Cultivating emerging leadership competencies for individual and organizational success. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(2), 129-145.
  11. Chowdhury, S. A., & Mostafa, A. T. (2020). Rohingya refugees: Risks and safety in Bangladesh. Citizenship, Nationalism and Refugeehood of Rohingyas in Southern Asia, 155-170.
  12. Desiderio, M. V. (2016). Integrating refugees into host country labor markets: Challenges and policy options. Washington DC: Migration Policy Institute.
  13. Fahim, A. Y., Al Mamun, A., Hossain, A., Chakma, T., & Hassan, E. M. (2022). Unpacking Brand Imperialism in Bangladesh: Emerging Market Perspective. International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 4(2), 219-239.
  14. Gebühr, C. (2020). POLICY STUDIES - Socio-economic impacts of refugees on host communities in developing countries. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1579108/policy-studies/2268877/
  15. Hossain, A. (2020). Rohingya relocated to remote island against their will, rights groups say. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55177688
  16. HRW. (2021). Bangladesh: Rohingya Refugees Allegedly Tortured. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/27/bangladesh-rohingya-refugees-allegedly-tortured
  17. Idrish, M. H. B., & Khatun, H. (2018). Rohingya Refugees: Assimilation with Host Community and Socio-Political Impact on Cox's.
  18. ILO. (2016). Informal economy in Bangladesh. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/dhaka/Areasofwork/informal-economy/lang--en/index.htm
  19. ILO. (2018). More than 60 per cent of the world’s employed population are in the informal economy. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_627189/lang--en/index.htm
  20. Kaveri. (2020). The Politics of Marginalization and Statelessness of the Rohingyas in India. Citizenship, Nationalism and Refugeehood of Rohingyas in Southern Asia, 71-95.
  21. Khatun, F. (2017). Implications of the Rohingya crisis for Bangladesh. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
  22. Mahmod, S. (2022). Demystifying work-related outcomes and life satisfaction of Bangladeshi working women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(2), 109-127.
  23. Mashizha, M., Gumbo, L., & Chimwe, E. (2023). Addressing Barriers to entry into international trade by SMEs in Zimbabwe. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(4), 309-323.
  24. Mondal, M. S. H. (2017). Urban informal economy in Bangladesh: a case study on a mobile vegetable vendor in Dhaka city. The Qualitative Report, 22(11), 2893-2903.
  25. Mujeri, M. K. (2020). Informal economy and economic inclusion. Retrieved from https://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/29th-anniversary-supplements/digitisation-and-inclusivity-taking-everyone-along/news/informal-economy-and-economic-inclusion-1869601
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  27. Ottaviano, G. I., & Peri, G. (2012). Rethinking the effect of immigration on wages. Journal of the European economic association, 10(1), 152-197.
  28. Ozden, C., & Wagner, M. C. (2014). Immigrant versus natives? Displacement and job creation. Displacement and Job Creation. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper(6900).
  29. Parela, E. (2022). Pengaruh Pengembangan kompetensi dan Pengembangan Kompetensi terhadap Budaya Kerja Pegawai pada Kantor Kecamatan Semaka Kabupaten Tanggamus. Jurnal Relevansi: Ekonomi, Manajemen dan Bisnis, 6(1), 42-56.
  30. Peri, G. (2014). Do immigrant workers depress the wages of native workers? IZA world of Labor.
  31. Pischke, J.-S., & Velling, J. (1997). Employment effects of immigration to Germany: an analysis based on local labor markets. Review of Economics and Statistics, 79(4), 594-604.
  32. Poyil, S. T. (2020). National identity and conceptualization of nationalism among Rohingya. Citizenship, Nationalism and Refugeehood of Rohingyas in Southern Asia, 31-50.
  33. Pratap, S., & Quintin, E. (2006). The informal sector in developing countries: Output, assets and employement. Paper presented at the WIDER Research Paper, No. 2006/130, ISBN 9291909149, The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics.
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  35. Reuters. (2018). Bangladesh says it won't assimilate Rohingya Muslims. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wef-vietnam-bangladesh-rohingya-idUSKCN1LS1Z5/
  36. Rozanna, M. (2023). What is strategic management research? Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(4), 271-280.
  37. Ruisi, F., & Shteiwi, M. (2016). Economic and Social Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. IEMed., 28.
  38. Suharto, S., Ningsih, N., & Ali, K. (2022). Pengendalian Kerusakan Produk Pada Industri Rumahan Mitra Keluarga Kabupaten Lampung Timur. Derivatif: Jurnal Manajemen, 16(2), 351-361.
  39. Suharto, S., Suyanto, S., & Suwarto, S. (2022). The Influence of Digital Marketing, Customer Experience and Relationship Marketing on Customer Satisfaction. Calitatea Quality Access To Success, 23(121), 282-289.
  40. Syarif, A., & Riza, K. (2022). Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Transformasional, Disiplin Kerja dan Komunikasi Terhadap Kinerja Pegawai pada Dinas Pendidikan Kepulauan Riau. Jurnal Humaniora dan Ilmu Pendidikan, 2(1), 33-41.
  41. Syarif, A., Rumengan, J., & Gunawan, D. (2021). The Influence Of Locus Of Control, Self Efficacy And Discipline Of Work, Job Satisfaction On Work Motivation In The Hj Bunda Halimah Hospital Batam. Paper presented at the IAIC International Conference Series.
  42. Tahmidul, I. (2013). Informal Sector in South Asia: A Case Study of Bangladesh. Global Journal of Human-Social Science: E Economics, 17(3), 2017.
  43. Tanha, M., Fahim, A. Y., Tasnim, S., Raju, M. A. R., Islam, W., Shawn, F., . . . Islam, M. J. (2022). Different dimensions of conspicuous consumption in the emerging market of Bangladesh. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(1), 65-87.
  44. UNHCR. (2014). Strategy Paper On Addressing The Issue of Myanmar Refugees and Undocumented Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/248296931/Strategy-Paper-on-Addressing-the-Issue-of-Myanmar-Refugees-and-Undocumented-Myanmar-Nationals-in-Bangladesh
  45. UNHCR. (2022). Global Trends: Forced DIsplacement in 2017. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/statistics/unhcrstats/5b27be547/unhcr-global-trends-2017.html
  46. Yahya, Y., & Yani, D. A. (2023). Pengaruh Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia dan Motivasi Kerja terhadap Kinerja Pegawai pada Kantor Kelurahan Blambangan Umpu Kecamatan Blmbangan Umpu. Jurnal Relevansi: Ekonomi, Manajemen dan Bisnis, 7(1), 47-62.
  47. Zahedi, M. R., & Piri, M. (2023). Evaluation chain management model with emphasis on intellectual capital using blockchain technology. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 4(4), 281-295.