By RK Desk। Cox’s Bazar | November 14, 2026
Falling groundwater levels and drying surface water sources have raised concerns about freshwater supplies for Rohingya refugees and nearby communities in Cox’s Bazar ahead of the dry season. In a separate report, Médecins Sans Frontières described how it is helping people with diabetes manage their treatment at home. In The Hague, the International Court of Justice is due to deliver its judgment in The Gambia’s genocide case against Myanmar on November 19.
Dry-season water concerns grow in Ukhiya and Teknaf
New Age reported late on November 13 that groundwater depletion and the drying of surface water sources had raised fears of a serious freshwater shortage in Ukhiya and Teknaf. The report flagged risks for both refugee camps and surrounding Bangladeshi communities as they head into the dry season.
The available account describes a risk ahead of the dry season. It gives no confirmed count of households already facing shortages or of water points that have stopped working.
MSF helps Rohingya patients manage diabetes at home
In a report published on November 13, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said some patients in the Cox’s Bazar camps had faced walks of three hours or more to reach clinic appointments. When MSF began providing diabetes care in the camps, patients had to travel to hospitals for blood sugar tests and medication. For those who use insulin, keeping it cool at home posed another problem in shelters without reliable access to electricity.
MSF says it provides clay-pot coolers and teaches patients in its home-based care programme how to use them to store insulin. Rohingya volunteers also hold community sessions to explain diabetes and help residents find care. One patient told MSF he had travelled to a clinic every day for two years to get his insulin injections before receiving help to store it at home.
The organisation has also provided insulin pens to some patients. MSF says cost still limits wider use and that most people using insulin in the camps continue to receive it in vials.
ICJ judgment will address Myanmar’s responsibility under the Genocide Convention
The International Court of Justice is scheduled to deliver its judgment on November 19 in the case The Gambia brought in 2019. The case concerns Myanmar’s responsibility as a state under the Genocide Convention. The Gambia alleges that Myanmar violated the convention through its treatment of the Rohingya. Myanmar denies the genocide allegations.
In an analysis published on November 13, ACLED’s Asia-Pacific senior analyst Su Mon said a ruling against Myanmar could set an important precedent for accountability. Its effect on the safety of Rohingya civilians would depend on what follows. The analysis points to continuing violence, movement restrictions, detention and extortion as concerns that will remain urgent when the judgment is delivered.
