about the future. Already we have had to borrow rice from our neighbors that have smaller families. The authorities said that we have to wait a few more days to receive rice. But by the time we get that rice, we will have to give it all away, back to people from whom we borrowed rice. 150 Refugees said that the food rations are not enough to subsist on, and that quantity and quality varies greatly. Habibullah, 47, a majhi on the island, said: The food ration varies every month and sometimes the quantity and quality of the ration we are given varies a lot. Families often get rotten onions, ginger, or garlic which they can’t even use for cooking. Quantity of rice is distributed per person, but for other items the quantity remains the same per family no matter how big your family is. 151 Refugees need to use their own money to purchase meat or fish from the market. 152 But because the market has a monopoly on food, prices are exorbitant, especially when the transport of goods is slowed during the monsoon season. Faisal, 26, explained, “During monsoon season there is no chance of getting supplies to this island from nearby places. If it is raining for five days, the price of the product worth 5 taka jumps to 70 taka. Being poor, where can we get the money?” 153 Some said that without access to a livelihood, it is impossible to earn money to afford essentials like food. Habibullah said: We don’t get fish or meat here. We have to buy it from the market but there are no livelihood opportunities to earn. Our community is used to eating fish every day while in Myanmar. Back in the camps also we were able to get some fish with the money we were given as aid. 154 150 Human Rights Watch interview with Dilroba, Bhasan Char, Bangladesh, February 21, 2021. 151 Human Rights Watch interview with Habibullah, Bhasan Char, Bangladesh, March 24, 2021. 152 There are two markets on Bhasan Char, each with 25-30 shops that are sourced from a single warehouse. Prices are higher than in Cox’s Bazar, sometimes double. These shops are leased to Bangladeshis and the warehouse is Bangladeshimanaged. Refugees estimated that around 4,000 Bangladeshis work on the island. Some refugees attempted to open temporary shops on the island, but the authorities closed them down. 153 Human Rights Watch interview with Faisal, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, January 31, 2021. 154 Human Rights Watch interview with Habibullah, Bhasan Char, Bangladesh, March 24, “AN ISLAND JAIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA” 46 2021.