DHAKA: Once vast forest on the southeast coast of Bangladesh, swathes of Cox’s Bazar have turned into barren land as they became the world’s largest refugee settlement. Four years later, the UN says, community efforts to restore the ecosystem are yielding results.
Cox’s Bazar shelters some 1.1 million Rohingya refugees, most of whom arrived in the area fleeing persecution and a military crackdown in neighboring Myanmar in 2017. Some 2,500 hectares of vegetation was cleared to give way to makeshift households and infrastructure to host them.
Deforestation has turned Cox’s Bazar into one of the most disaster-prone parts of Bangladesh. This year alone, flash floods and landslides in the area killed dozens of refugees and forced thousands of others to leave their temporary homes.
Supported the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and local authorities, local communities have been trying to avert further destruction by restoring the forest. Their efforts started in late 2018 and over a fifth of the area has been replanted so far.
“As of 2021, over 600 hectares have been planted by UN agencies and partners,” UNHCR Bangladesh communications officer Regina de la Portilla told Arab News earlier this week.
“The project is implemented in close coordination with RRRC (Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner) and the Bangladesh Forest Department, who provide us with technical and administrative support.”
The main objective of restoring the forest ecosystem has been to stabilize slopes by increasing soil cohesion and shear strength. Plant roots act as soil reinforcement and also absorb extra water.
“We have planted legume crops to improve soil fertility, grasses for soil stabilization, riparian species for low laying areas and bamboo for water shed management,” De la Portilla said. “Additionally, we are planting palm trees to serve as lighting protectors.”
Shafiul Alam, a forest officer in Cox’s Bazar district, sees the replanting efforts not only as a “sustainable solution” to reduce the risks posed by extreme weather in the cramped camps, but also a duty of all those who reside in the region.
“Our forest is a natural resource, and it belongs to all. So, people from all communities need to put coordinated efforts for maintaining the greenery and restoration of the damaged forest of this region,” he told Arab News.
The project has so far engaged over 3,000 people both from the local community and refugees.
“Some 500 Rohingya are caretakers and plantation workers on a rotational basis, to cover minimum and regular requirements of plantations,” De la Portilla said. “Some have a background in agriculture and had been doing this before they had to flee their country. Local persons are also teaching refugees how to plant native species in nurseries, for example.”
Those involved say the project helps turn the camp area into a slightly more livable place.
“Three years back it was like a desert. We felt much heat during the day as because there was no tree,” Mohammad Ali, a 28-year-old Rohingya refugee from Kutupalang camp in Cox’s Bazar, told Arab News.
“Now I feel much better as our newly planted trees are growing day by day. Trees are the source of our oxygen. If we have enough trees in the surrounding it will keep us well and we will not get ill frequently,” he said.
A father of four, Ali receives a monthly stipend of $55 for taking care of the plants in his neighborhood.
“During the days of heavy rains, some of our plants get damaged or washed away by the rainwater. In such cases, we instantly collect new saplings from the authorities and plant it to the previous locations,” he said.
Amina Begum, 38, another volunteer, said she has been trying to motivate others in her neighborhood to get involved.
“Now I understand the importance of trees for human beings,” she said, adding that the experience is something that will be useful to her in the future, when she returns to Myanmar.
“This experience will help me even after the repatriation to my homeland. I will be able to build a greenery in my localities. If I find any organization which is working on saving the environment, I might pursue a job also.”