Growing environmental and safety concerns have emerged on Bhasan Char as a disruption in cooking gas supplies for relocated Rohingya refugees has intensified pressure on the island’s fragile coastal ecosystem.

Officials warn that continued dependence on firewood could severely damage the island’s protective forest belt, undermining its environmental balance and increasing vulnerability to natural disasters. At the same time, the rising use of wood-fired stoves inside densely built housing clusters has heightened the risk of fire outbreaks.

According to government data, around 37,260 Rohingya refugees relocated from camps in Cox’s Bazar are currently living on the island. To meet their cooking needs, an estimated 5,000 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders are required each month. However, only about 3,000 cylinders were being supplied monthly through humanitarian support prior to the recent suspension.

The gas distribution programme was implemented by Islamic Relief, which had pledged to continue supplies until March this year. The organization, however, halted deliveries in January, citing funding constraints. As a result, refugees—who had already been partially dependent on firewood—are now almost entirely reliant on timber collected from nearby coastal forests.

Environmental experts caution that deforestation on the island could weaken natural barriers against cyclones, tidal surges, and erosion. The coastal vegetation plays a critical role in stabilizing soil and protecting embankments in the low-lying Bay of Bengal island. Any significant degradation, they say, could expose the settlement to heightened disaster risks.

Safety concerns are also mounting within residential clusters. The shelters on Bhasan Char are built in close proximity, and cooking with open flames or traditional stoves increases the likelihood of fires spreading rapidly from one unit to another. Reports indicate that fire incidents have already occurred, raising alarm among local administrators.

In response to the situation, the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) has initiated efforts to secure new donor funding to restore gas supplies. Letters have reportedly been sent to relevant government bodies, including the NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeking urgent intervention.

Contacted for comment, an official from Islamic Relief’s Bangladesh office said the gas supply programme had been financed largely through US-based funding. Following changes in funding allocations abroad, the organization faced financial constraints that forced the suspension. Efforts are now underway to mobilize alternative donors, with hopes of resuming distribution from March at the previous level of 3,000 cylinders per month.

Until a sustainable fuel solution is secured, authorities fear the dual threats of environmental degradation and fire hazards could escalate further, posing long-term challenges for both humanitarian management and ecological stability on Bhasan Char.

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