Abstract
This study was conducted at Ukhiya Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district to find out the socio-environmental impacts due to Rohingya refugee's invasion of the study area. Both the quantitative and qualitative tools were used to analyzed data and information, in order to assess these impacts. According to the finding, 3918 acre natural and 1879 acre man-made forest coverage was damaged due to Rohingya refugees sheltering in the study area. This study finds out that 42% of the refugees living in the Kutupalong sheltering area are directly dependent on the forest for cooking wood of 1411 tons/day. Moreover, Rohingya`s are significantly affecting other natural resources including soil, agricultural land, and surface and ground-water of the study area. In fact, they using 18.26 million liters of water per day and the ground-water level has been depleted by 25 meters during the time period of 25 August 2017 to February 2018. Furthermore, ~9000 hectares of farming land with local crops (Boro, Aman, Betel leaf) and fruits had been permanently damaged as impacts of Rohingya migration on the area studied. We measured the noise level surroundings of the Rohingya camps, which was 1.5 times higher than the DoE recommended value for the residential area. Various life-threatening diseases were also identified towards the refugees among them diphtheria was most alarming. Moreover, Rohingya are also involved in various antisocial activities including smuggling, drug trafficking, robbery, snatch, theft, etc. Such societal degradation might trigger multiplicative impacts on the environment and overall socio-economic circumstances of the whole Teknaf area.
Highlights
Impact of the refugee crisis on the environment and the natural resource of the host community has become an emerging issue in refugee research
According to Rohingya Refugee Rehabilitation Commission (RRRC), due to violence in Rakhine State which began on 25 August 2017 approximately 6,89,020 Rohingya people have driven across the border into Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
We conducted this study in Kutupalong and Balukhali Ruhingya camps, which are situated in Ukhiya Upazilla of Cox’s Bazar to find out the effects of Rohingya migrants on the environment of the area studied
Summary
Impact of the refugee crisis on the environment and the natural resource of the host community has become an emerging issue in refugee research. Rohigya displaced people have develop into the dynamic clients of the forest resource of Bangladesh, which have generated extra pressure on natural ecosystem and have created the scarcity of forest resources (Khan et al, 2012) They are staying in Bangladesh for long periods of time, having a prolonged impact on the environment (Shepherd, 1995). (1996) stated that the environmental impacts of a deluge of refuge searchers in have nation’s incurporate: uncontrolled fuel wood collection, poaching, and abuse of constrained water supplies. These impacts have placed serious strains on the ecosystems as well as parks or reserves recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. The losses of productivity, the extinction of species of plants or animals, the destruction of unique ecosystems might be badly affected result of refugee activities (Imran, 2014)
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have