Bangladeshi domestic laws and policies do not allow refugees and asylum-seekers access to public or social housing, and their shelter needs are primarily met through temporary arrangements including bamboo, rope, tarpaulin and plastic sheets, provided by humanitarian organizations as permitted under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR in 2018 to help Rohingya refugees live decent lives. The MoU established a framework of cooperation between UNHCR and Bangladesh on the safe, voluntary, and dignified returns of refugees in line with international standards. The MoU also states to provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees, including helping them lead decent lives in the camps till their safe return to Myanmar. At the end of December 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave approval for a safer shelter model for Rohingya refugees. The government of Bangladesh has allowed construction of safer shelter and through this approval, the humanitarian partners in consultation with RRRC may construct safer shelters for the Rohingya refugees.  

The legal framework on public or social housing is governed by the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the National Housing Policy of 2016. Neither of these legislations recognize access of refugees or asylum-seekers to public or social housing. The National Housing Policy of 2016 focuses more on improvement of slums, housing for rural populations, and particularly for marginalized groups who do not have homes or land. Though these legislations do not explicitly exclude refugees and asylum-seekers, they only explicitly address the rights of Bangladeshi citizens. 

The public housing situation for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remains challenging and precarious. Approximately one million Rohingya live in densely populated camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char. The camps are crowded and often lack adequate infrastructure, contributing to difficult living conditions. The emergency shelters are typically basic and are designed to meet immediate humanitarian needs rather than long-term housing solutions. The Government of Bangladesh has relocated a small portion of registered Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char where the housing facilities are comparatively better than the camps in Cox’s Bazar. The semi-structured buildings on Bhasan Char were created in furtherance of the Government’s ‘Ashrayan-3' (Shelter-3) project approved by Bangladesh’s Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in 2017. Other than this specific project, no other access to public or social housing has been granted to refugees or asylum-seekers. These types of temporary housing measures do not align with the standard of public or social housing meant for the citizens of Bangladesh.