The devastating ecological impact of Rohingya crisis

It is quite unfortunate that global and regional powers have done very little to resolve the Rohingya crisis. The monumental contribution that Bangladesh has made to the humanitarian crisis by helping and allowing persecuted Rohingya refugees to stay in the country needs to be globally appreciated.

While the crisis has been turning from bad to worse, its impact on the ecology has been equally devastating in terms of magnitude.

The temporary shelters for Rohingya refugees were established by clearing forest lands in Ukhia and Teknaf, close to the border with Myanmar—an area that traditionally represents the last sanctuary for Asiatic elephants in Bangladesh. The area is also situated across the Bangladesh-Myanmar elephant migration corridors.

The Rohingya communities, being heavily dependent on the scant forest resources for their daily sustenance, have come into direct conflict with elephant herds travelling between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Several deaths of refugees have been attributed to conflicts with the elephants.

The anthropogenic footprints of refugees on the local forests are growing larger day by day. If Bangladesh fails to develop comprehensive conservation strategies immediately, the local forests, wildlife and biodiversity will be irreversibly damaged.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada