UNB, Cox’s Bazar :
Burning firewood desperately by the Rohingya people of Ukhia, Teknaf and Naikhangchhari will destroy the ecosystem of the Cox’s Bazar deeply.
The local residents and environmentalists’ leaders expressed deep concern in this desperate deforestation which has made the green area grey and fad and asked the government to ensure everything before environmental disasters. Visiting some temporary camps in Kutupalong and Balukhali of Ukhia and Teknaf, UNB Correspondent found that thousands of Rohingyas have been camping in the deep forests of Ukhia-Teknaf and Naikhangchhari. Even they were building their tents in two to three kilometre deep of the forest from the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Road and fetch their firewood from the deep and fresh forest.”
“This huge number of Rohingya is almost burning 500 lakh kgs (estimated the figure) of firewood for cooking every day. They are mainly relying on the forest around the area of their camps. As a result, the forests are being destroyed every day,” forest department officials told UNB.
Deputy Director of Environment Department of Cox’s Bazar Saiful Arshad said “There is no shortage of relief to Ukhia-Teknaf and Naikhangchhari Rohingya
camps but there is a severe crisis of firewood which is going on as the number of the Rohingya people stands at 11 lakhs (new and old entrants) and is increasing every day.”
Jane Alam, a Rohingya living in the Balukhali camp, said “We cannot collect firewood due to rain earlier. Now we are collecting and burning firewood to the stove in the morning and evening which is being collected from the forest. There is no alternative to this cutting forest to collect firewood for cooking.”
UNB also found that the trees and horticultural trees of the forest are burning in these stoves. Even they are regularly picking up the root of the trees which can cause mudslides.
Some children were busy with the cutting of the root of the trees for their firewood, and many of them were collecting dry firewood from the deep forest. ‘No Man’s Land’ of Tambru (Ghumdhum Boarder area), Boro Chhakhola Para of Naikhangchhari, Phultoli and Ashartoli all presented the same the same picture.
Cox’s Bazar Divisional Forest Officer (South) Mohammad Ali Kabir said, “We have to think about the availability of firewood for the Rohingya people as nature will take its revenge.”
Mentioning the tragic incident of three Rohingya deaths in an attack by wild elephants in the hills of Ukhia, DFO Kabir said, “Everyone will have to think about it. Efforts should be taken to restore the damage to the hills and forests. Some individuals and organizations have distributed some kerosene stoves as the relief. But it is a little less than the requirement,” he added.
Burning firewood desperately by the Rohingya people of Ukhia, Teknaf and Naikhangchhari will destroy the ecosystem of the Cox’s Bazar deeply.
The local residents and environmentalists’ leaders expressed deep concern in this desperate deforestation which has made the green area grey and fad and asked the government to ensure everything before environmental disasters. Visiting some temporary camps in Kutupalong and Balukhali of Ukhia and Teknaf, UNB Correspondent found that thousands of Rohingyas have been camping in the deep forests of Ukhia-Teknaf and Naikhangchhari. Even they were building their tents in two to three kilometre deep of the forest from the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Road and fetch their firewood from the deep and fresh forest.”
“This huge number of Rohingya is almost burning 500 lakh kgs (estimated the figure) of firewood for cooking every day. They are mainly relying on the forest around the area of their camps. As a result, the forests are being destroyed every day,” forest department officials told UNB.
Deputy Director of Environment Department of Cox’s Bazar Saiful Arshad said “There is no shortage of relief to Ukhia-Teknaf and Naikhangchhari Rohingya
camps but there is a severe crisis of firewood which is going on as the number of the Rohingya people stands at 11 lakhs (new and old entrants) and is increasing every day.”
Jane Alam, a Rohingya living in the Balukhali camp, said “We cannot collect firewood due to rain earlier. Now we are collecting and burning firewood to the stove in the morning and evening which is being collected from the forest. There is no alternative to this cutting forest to collect firewood for cooking.”
UNB also found that the trees and horticultural trees of the forest are burning in these stoves. Even they are regularly picking up the root of the trees which can cause mudslides.
Some children were busy with the cutting of the root of the trees for their firewood, and many of them were collecting dry firewood from the deep forest. ‘No Man’s Land’ of Tambru (Ghumdhum Boarder area), Boro Chhakhola Para of Naikhangchhari, Phultoli and Ashartoli all presented the same the same picture.
Cox’s Bazar Divisional Forest Officer (South) Mohammad Ali Kabir said, “We have to think about the availability of firewood for the Rohingya people as nature will take its revenge.”
Mentioning the tragic incident of three Rohingya deaths in an attack by wild elephants in the hills of Ukhia, DFO Kabir said, “Everyone will have to think about it. Efforts should be taken to restore the damage to the hills and forests. Some individuals and organizations have distributed some kerosene stoves as the relief. But it is a little less than the requirement,” he added.
