IMPACT OF ROHINGYA INFLUX ON WILDLIFE AND SOCIETY IN TEKNAF PENINSULA IN COX’S BAZAR OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

The impacts of the Rohingya influx in 2017 on wildlife and their habitats and the local society in Teknaf Peninsula of Cox’s Bazar District in Bangladesh were studied from January 2019 to June 2022. The historical background of the Rohingya immigration from the Arakan State of Burma in the present land territory of Bangladesh (earlier British India, then East Pakistan) has been traced out from the literature that was first recorded in 1785 when 35,000 people took shelter in Chittagong Region. Four times immigration of Rohingya happened since the emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, and these occurred in 1978, 1990, 2012 and 2017, when 200,000, 250,000, 200,000, and 750,000 people became immigrants to Bangladesh, respectively and of which the last one is severely hampered forests, lands, biodiversity, and social culture of the area. This study covered Teknaf and Ukhiya Upazilas, including two protected areas (TWS- Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary and SJINP- Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park) of the Upazilas in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, as the Rohingya influx highly impacts these areas. Up to December 2022, a total of 952,309 Rohingya refugees, consisting of 48% males and 52% females, are living in 197,156 households in 33 camps, including 28,951 people from 7,322 households who have recently been shifted to Bashanchar, Hatia, Noakhali. Most of these camps are fully or partially located in the gazette reserve forests and protected forests of Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division. According to the present growth rate, the size of Rohingya populaiton will be 1.5 times larger than that of Teknaf, and Ukhiya upazila in 2023, and in 2040 it will 3 times larger. Rohingya refugees have occupied about 2,494.48 ha (6,164 acres) of land, including 1,674.18 ha (4,137 acres) of natural (reserved and protected) forests and 820.28 ha (2,027 acres) of planted forests of Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division. However, the government of Bangladesh allocated 3,237.49 ha (8,000 acres) of land, including the said forested areas in Teknaf and Ukhiya Upazilas, for the Rohingya. The study area is also an essential habitat for the Critically Endangered flagship species, the Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus). The Teknaf Peninsula is rich with flora and fauna because of its location and physical environment, as it supports subtropical rainforests and mangrove patches along brackish water rivers and the sea (the Bay of Bengal). Similarly, the SJINP is rich with flora and fauna because of its location and physical environment, as it supports subtropical rainforests and the sea (the Bay of Bengal). Rohingya refugees have severely affected these protected areas (TWS and SJINP) since 1978, mostly in 2017. The questionnaire surveys were done in Rohingya camps (Rohingya general people, Rohingya KII (Key Informant Interview), and local people of the adjacent areas (local general people, local KII (Key Informant Interview). The total respondents were 814, of which 230 (28%) were from Rohingyas, including 23 KII, and 584 (72%) people from locals, including 179 KII. Wildlife, particularly mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, were observed in the TWS and SJINP through field observations and trail surveys. Indicator bird species were surveyed in 6 trails (2 at SJINP and 4 at TWS) for 4 times each year from 2019 to 2022, with other birds and animals also recorded. The impact of the Rohingya influx on wildlife and their habitats were assessed by interviewing both stakeholders (local and Rohingya). Rohingya who have been staying in Bangladesh since 1990 saw the number of wildlife species, and those who are staying after the influx of 2017 were analyzed. Similarly, the locals also provided similar information before and after the Rohingya influx. The local respondents saw 440 species of wildlife species during their lifetime; of these species, 337 (76.59%) were observed by Rohingyas who came to Bangladesh after 1990, while 241 (54.77%) were witnessed by Rohingyas who arrived during and after 2017, whereas 332 (75.45%) were observed during this study period. The presence of 16 indicatory bird species is considered for the richness of the forest health of Bangladesh, but not all these species are found in any protected area. So, depending on the forest structure, the number of bird species from those 16 species has been selected as the richness of forest health for a particular forest, especially the protected areas. In this consideration, TWS got 10 species, and SJINP 11 got species for the richness of forest health, and these two protected areas complete the criteria. In the case of TWS, the findings indicate a noteworthy decrease in the density of indicator birds across all three strata in recent years, suggesting a gradual decline in forest conditions. Moreover, the percentage of decline for all three strata has witnessed a further increase in the recent four years (2019 - 2022), which points to a severe deterioration of forest habitats in the TWS. Notably, the upper strata birds have experienced the most significant decline in density during the last four years, indicating the continued depletion of large trees. In the case of SJINP, the density of these bird species in the mid-and-upper strata has exhibited a persistent decline, which suggests a loss of habitats, including medium and large trees. This decline further highlights the deterioration of forest conditions. However, a positive trend has been observed in the density of birds in the lower stratum, which has experienced a substantial increase. This increase may be attributed to the regeneration of bushy areas through restoration efforts and effective management plans. According to the perception of general host communities on nature and environmental impact of Rohingya influx, 95.81% stated that caused by deforestation, 86.45% said groundwater depletion, 55.17% opined water crisis, 54.93% agreed on poor solid waste management, 54.87% thought disturbance of the ecosystem, 46.55% agreed on the impact on the environment, 38.18% told habitat loss of wildlife, 35.47% believed water pollution, 34.73% said hill cutting, 28.82% opined increasing of temperature, 24.63% thought drinking water scarcity, 21.43% agreed on flash flood and water-logging, and 8.37% expressed elephant corridor has been blocked. From the point of view of general host respondents for the mitigation measures of nature and environment of the Rohingya influx, 97.29% suggested repatriation, 50.49% recommended reforestation, and 22.66% talked about integrated management of the camp area, 14.29% also recommended solving the water crisis, 14.04% suggested ensuring drinking water, preservation of natural water and the creation of water reservoirs, 7.64% advocated preserving natural and rain water by creating water reservoirs, 7.14% proposed waste management, 6.65% suggested to establish deep tube well, 5.42% of respondents recommended arranging an awareness program for local people to conserve wildlife and 2.71% suggested improving the drainage system. Nearly cent percent (96.52%) of Rohingyas said they have no conflict with the locals; on the other hand, nearly fifty percent (47.09%) of locals have disputed with Rohingyas. Drug smuggling by Rohingya remains the same (95.65%) since the influx in 2017, whereas the locals (82.53%) opined that it is increasing day by day and influencing drug and smuggling to localssaid by 52.4% of respondents and 12.67% opined that the rape incidents has increased. More than half (51.37%) of locals believe that criminal activities are decreasing among Rohingya children day by day due to their engagement in education and social awareness activities done by different sectors, although Rohingya (97.83%) have denied such drug and smuggling activities done by their children. Rohingya (97.39%) respondents said there is no land conflict between them and the locals, but the locals (33.73%) opined the opposite. This study finds causes of social anarchy according to the general host respondents. More than one-third of the local people (35.96%) believed that drug availability induced by Rohingya people is the cause of social anarchy. According to general host respondents, the other causes of social anarchy are common gathering space (29.56%), Rohingya peoples’ involvement in crime and unethical works (17.24%), available low-cost Rohingya labours (8.87%), high commodity price (7.88%), eve teasing (6.90%), unethical mixing of males and females (6.65%), difficulties to manage government certification (5.67%), narrow movement routes (5.42%), need to show NID card for movement (5.42%), loses of farming scopes at government land (5.17%), local young marry Rohingya boys and girls (4.93%), lost social forestry (2.96%), some Rohingya females are prostitute (2.46%), some local practice polygamy specifically to marry Rohingya females (1.97%), quarrelsome habitat of Rohingya people (1.72%), poor waste management in and around the Rohingya camp (1.48%), face problem in agriculture (1.23%), and lost the control over the Khas / BFD land (0.74%) by the Rohingya influx in 2017. According to the general host community respondents, the solution to the social anarchies are repatriation (74.88%), surveillance of the law enforcement agencies (45.32%), actions of concerned authorities (36.95%), ensuring jobs for the local worker (32.76%), mass awareness on different issues (as drug use, polygamy, unethical activities, and not to mix with Rohingya (28.33%), AIGA for local poor people (3.45%) and ensure strong fencing around the Rohingya camps and control their movement (2.46%). Two police stations reported that the registered criminal cases before the Rohingya influx were 1,130 in 2015 and 1,060 in 2016, whereas these were, respectively, 1,386, 1,163, 1,766, 1,752, 2,316 and 2,048 in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022- indicating the increasing trends of criminal activities after the influx. Cox's Bazar refugee camps have an average population density of 15 m2/person. It denotes that Rohingya people are already overcrowded by international standards of 30–45 m2/person. This also resulted in insufficient space for the mandatory infrastructure, such as water and waste treatment facilities. So, a shortage of standard living space is the leading cause of transmitting diseases, mainly in the Rohingya community and hosts living within the camp areas. Although the majority of the Rohingya respondents (74.88%) deny the fact of increasing disease transmissions, the majority of general locals (55.06%) and KII locals (58.27%) agree with the transmissions. According to Cox’s Bazar 250 General Hospital, the number of HIV patients in the Rohingya refugees was only 01 in 2015 and 10 in 2016 compared to 13 and 10 locals, which has increased to 175 in 2021 in the Rohingya community compared to 14 locals. The total number of HIV-positive patients currently under treatment in the same hospital is 1,004, of which 806 (80.28%) are Rohingyas and the rest 198 (19.72%) are locals. Cultural adulteration is occurring due to co-existence, as said by Rohingya (54.78%) the locals (62.5%), using some dresses like ‘Hijjab’ instead of ‘Borkha’ by the females and trousers instead of tucked ‘Lungi’ by the males. Rohingyas have induced some abusive words (‘Gali’) to the local children, and teenagers show aggressiveness without respecting elders. The tendency towards polygamy, child marriage, the divorce rate, etc., have increased among the locals after the influx. The overall education receiving rate of the locals decreased by about 15.7% after the Rohingya influx in 2017; 79.3% of the respondents opined that the higher education (HSC and above) rate is decreasing. After completing SSC, HSC, and degrees, people get jobs in NGOs and other minor works for livelihood, mentioned as a reason. The coexistence of the Rohingya and the host communities leads to several mental health problems. A major portion (98.7%) of the host community faces much mental stress due to the coexistence, whereas only 26.09% of the Rohingya community faces this mental stress. Besides the regular food support from the WFP (World Food Programme), about 258 UN Organizations, GoB, INGOs, and NGOs are working on the Rohingya and host issues. Some recommendations have been suggested to overcome the problems holistically. Further future research in this respect is needed to dig into the impact and mitigation measures of the Rohingya crisis on every component of the Environment.