Farmers in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar say their livelihoods are under threat due to unplanned waste disposal from the Thaingkhali Rohingya camp. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage and sewage from the camp is contaminating fields, blocking drainage, and making cultivation impossible.

Residents allege that since the establishment of the Rohingya camps, fertile land around Army Road and nearby villages has been turned into dumping grounds. “The Rohingyas are throwing their waste into our streams and fields. Our crops are dying, and the land has become useless,” said farmer Farid Alam.

Another farmer, Nurul Absar Bappa, said, “For years, agriculture here has been destroyed because of Rohingya waste. The drainage system is blocked, the fields are polluted, and we are forced to watch our livelihoods collapse.”

Locals also accuse Rohingyas of cutting hills and building illegal houses inside reserved forest areas, worsening environmental damage. During a recent visit, illegal structures were seen on forested hills near Camp No. 11.

Although Nurul Alam, a villager accused of blocking drainage near his home, denied the allegations, residents insist that the root cause is unchecked waste from the Rohingya settlements.

Thaingkhali Forest Reserve Officer Bikash Das confirmed reports of hill cutting and said legal steps would be taken.

Farmers warn that unless authorities take urgent action to control Rohingya waste dumping, Ukhiya’s agriculture will be permanently destroyed.

BOB Post