findings iV: impact of movement restrictions 60 Rohingya reported that they often hear justifications from the police and host community related to the confiscation of wages and the prohibitions against work. Namely, that Rohingya are receiving rations and all of their other needs are met by the humanitarian community, therefore they do not need to work. Rohingya respondents, on the other hand, reported that support received from the humanitarian community is not enough to meet their most basic needs. “[The Government of Bangladesh] says to us, ‘You are not citizens of this country. Refugees don’t have rights to any occupation or any income sources. You should live only on humanitarian assistance,’” said Hassan, a 30-year-old Rohingya man. Later in his interview, he elaborated on this sentiment, stating, “It’s obvious that our family can’t live on humanitarian assistance only. A family has different types of needs in order to manage livelihoods. If we get all of our necessities through humanitarian assistance, we would never want to work. The reason we want to work and make money now is because all of our needs aren’t fulfilled with humanitarian assistance.” 104 Those respondents who were able to find work had negative feelings associated with being forced to break the rules related to restrictions on movement and livelihoods in order to try to survive and provide for their families. Moreover, many reported facing discrimination, exploitation, and abuse by employers. It was often reported that employers in the local host community will refuse to pay promised wages, or that Rohingya workers will make much less than those from “It’s obvious that our family can’t live on humanitarian assistance only.” the host community doing similar tasks. “We do some labour in the villages of the host community,” said Hassan, a 30-year-old Rohingya man. “We are paid 300 BDT (2.75 USD) per day, while a host community labourer is paid 1,000 BDT (9.25 USD). Though we face discrimination, we don’t have other options except doing the work with 300 BDT daily. Even earning 100 BDT is so useful for us. If I can work with 100 BDT daily, I get 3000 BDT (27.50 USD) in a month, and I can somehow fulfil my needs with that money. We are really struggling to live. If the government made it easier for us to live, we could live easily and peacefully. Because of the restrictions, even a good person is becoming bad. When he doesn’t get any chance to work, he stays upset and broken.” 105 Even Rohingya employed in INGO positions reported facing discrimination and have recently seen their wages cut in half from what they previously earned working for INGOs. Respondents have noted a marked decrease in the INGO jobs that are available in the camps, and reported that new rules prevented them from travelling to other camps for INGO jobs, further decreasing their livelihood opportunities. “People have lost their NGO jobs because people from one camp are not allowed to work in another one,” said Kushida, a 32-year-old Rohingya woman. “All these are difficulties in our daily lives. We don’t know why the government is doing this.” 106 The lack of livelihood opportunities caused by restrictions on movement has had a profound impact on 104 105 106 Interview C10M Interview C10M Interview C04F