It is good news that the US has extended a helping hand to Bangladesh regarding the Rohingya repatriation issue. With talks underway with all parties involved, US Ambassador in Dhaka Earl R Miller has promised his country’s support towards the steps taken by the Bangladesh government over the repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar.
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district of the country and much of Bangladesh's forest is getting destroyed creating environmental disasters due to the presence of the huge Rohingya population.
Some 4300 acres of hills and forests were cut down to make temporary shelters for Rohingyas and ensure facilities and cooking fuel for them in Ukhia and Teknaf of Cox's Bazar threatening the biodiversity of the country, according to a report of the United Nations.
The huge number of Rohingya refugees in
the country has put an enormous
strain on our economy and the environment
The government is taking strategic actions to ensure repatriation of Rohingyas. The government of Bangladesh, along with several other nations, has been pressuring Myanmar to take the Rohingya refugees to a safe place in a dignified manner.
The huge number of Rohingya refugees in the country has put an enormous strain on our economy and the environment. Moreover, the Rohingyas also pose a security threat as many have been found to be involved in gang warfare, trafficking, drug smuggling and other illegal activities.
Bangladesh is slowly trying to transform itself from a least developed to a middle income country. This transitional period is a critical time for us and having to deal with the refugee crisis has been draining us of valuable resources. We are not yet wealthy enough to be able to host such a large community of refugees as we are struggling to feed our own people.
Needless to say, the inaction of other countries has been a huge drawback for Bangladesh during the Rohingya crisis. It is therefore high time that the repatriation process of the refugees is started in an orderly manner. Bangladesh will need the full support of other countries to be able to do so promptly.