Most of the islands approximately 3,700 inhabitants live primarily from fishing. The other staple crops are rice and
coconut. Being very common on the island, algae are collected, dried, and exported to Myanmar. Between October and April,
the fishermen from neighboring areas bring their caught fishes to the islands temporary wholesale market. However,
imports of chicken, meat and other foods come in from the mainland Bangladesh and Myanmar. As the centre and the south
are mainly farmland and makeshift huts, most of the permanent structures are around the far north.

During the rainy season, because of the dangerous conditions on the Bay of Bengal, the inhabitants have no scope to go
to the mainland (Teknaf) and their life can become dangerous. There is a hospital on the island, but in the past there
has often been no doctor.