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5 years ago

Bangladesh should seek compensation from Myanmar for Rohingya damage: Researcher

Reuters file photo used for representation
Reuters file photo used for representation

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A researcher has prodded Bangladesh to seek compensation from Myanmar for the socioeconomic and environmental damages that come at the cost of hosting over 1.1 million Rohingya refugees.

Dr Mohshin Habib of Swinburne University of Technology in Australia says Bangladesh has suffered damage to the tune of over $6 billion in 17 months until January since the latest exodus of refugees started in August 2017.

Myanmar, on the other hand, started making an annual profit of $2 billion by forcing out the Rohingyas from Rakhine State through brutal army operation after decades of persecution, according to Habib. 

He presented the findings of a study titled “Rohingya Mass Exodus: Who Should Pay Compensation and How Much?” at an event in Dhaka on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.

Habib, a senior lecturer of international business, said Bangladesh has received aid worth around $730 million for the Rohingya refugees from 22 countries and agencies.

Given the scenario, Bangladesh should “soon” raise the demand for damages from Myanmar, he suggested.

He also called for mounting international pressure on Myanmar for taking back the Rohingyas and trying those responsible for genocide in Rakhine.

Besides Habib, Professor Christine Jubb of the university presented a report on the damage at the programme, “Rohingya Crisis: Global Challenges”, organised at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB).

Among others, Planning Minister MA Manna and Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation Chairman Qazi Kholiquzzaman were present.

“Myanmar must take back Rohingyas from Bangladesh ensuring their all rights, including citizenship,” Minister Mannan said, calling for help from the international community to resolve the crisis through discussions.

Earlier in a report on the impact of the Rohingya refugee population on environment of Cox’s Bazar, the United Nations Development Programme had said a total of 4,300 acres of hills and forests were cut down to make temporary shelters and facilities in Ukhiya and Teknaf of the district.

The cutting of hills and forests threatens the biodiversity of the ecologically critical areas. The restoration of the ecosystem will become irreversible if measures are not taken immediately, according to the UNDP report.

Up to 4,000 acres of hilly lands in the Teknaf-Ukhiya-Himchhari watershed area have been cleared of vegetation, the report said.

Groundwater was depleting fast due to over extraction, surface water depletion due to excessive extraction and pollution, poor management of solid waste and faecal sludge, soil erosion, and hill cutting due to settlement of houses in hills, indoor air pollution from cooking, shrinkage and degradation of wildlife habitats and human-wildlife conflicts and disturbance of marine and freshwater ecosystems.

 

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