CPD: Rohingya crisis affecting Bangladesh society, economy adversely

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Executive Director Fahmida Khatun on Sunday said the Rohingya crisis was putting an adverse effect on Bangladesh, mostly on the country’s economy, society and the environment.

In a jointly organized dialogue titled "The Economic Influence of the Rohingya Crisis and the Upcoming Budget" along with local chapter of Socheton Nagorik Committee (SNC -Transparency International Bangladesh), she also stressed on how Bangladesh was going through a multifarious challenge as a result of this crisis.

Fahmida pointed out that the fall of social values in the Rohingya camps, population rise, hygiene crisis and a negative impression about the Rohingyas by the local Bangalis as the outcome of the ongoing crisis.

"Beginning from August last year till March 25 this year, $322 million have been donated for the Rohingyas through international donor agencies," she stated, "the Bangladesh government has estimated that $434 million has been spent on some 80 million Rohingyas till then. And 74% of that expense has been borne by the agencies, but the rest have been accumulated by our government."

Their estimates showed that taking care of them for the rest of the year would require a further $950 million.

As per the repatriation agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar, if Myanmar decided to take back 300 Rohingyas every month, then the problem would not be solved before 2025, she said.

She said that the next seven years would require another $4,433 million for sheltering and feeding them.

The National Economic Council of Bangladesh government has approved a $280 million project to establish a refugee camp for one million Rohingyas in Bhasan Char.

The question-answer session was moderated by CPD Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya.

Among others, Prof Alamgir Mohammad Sirajuddin, SNC Chattogram President Akter Kabir Chowdhury and Maj Gen (retd) Md Emdadul Islam also spoke during the occasion.