People enjoy the water at Cox's Bazar Sea Beach at sunset. The Bangladeshi city plays a complex dual role as both a major tourist destination and the site of the world's largest refugee camp. (Photo by Rebecca L. Root)
REBECCA L. ROOT
Over the past eight years, the name Cox's Bazar has become synonymous -- in some circles -- with the world's largest refugee camp. The sprawling Bangladeshi coastal town is frequently cited in news articles and charity appeals that raise awareness of the displaced Rohingya ethnic minority, a Muslim community from neighboring Myanmar forced to flee in a savage military campaign that some condemned as genocide or "ethnic cleansing."
The persecution peaked in 2017, pushing hundreds of thousands across the border into Bangladesh and to other countries including India, Malaysia and Pakistan. More than 700,000 arrived in Cox's Bazar at the time, and today the vast camps house just over 1 million refugees, according to the United Nations.