Local NGOs and civil society groups in Cox’s Bazar have called for banning use of plastic in the Rohingya camps.
At a press virtual press conference today, Cox’s Bazar Civil Society and NGO Forum (CCNF), a network of local NGOs and CSOs, said authorities should prioritize restoring the environment that is facing degradation due to excessive use of plastic and extraction of underground water in the camps.
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Some one million Rohingyas live in the camps, and since the biggest influx in 2017, large parts of the forest and hills in Ukhiya and Teknaf were destroyed.
Nazrul Islam of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan said excessive plastic use and groundwater extraction in the overcrowded camps are becoming major threats to the environment.
The NGOs should be creative in innovating alternatives to plastic use, he said. He also suggested preserving surface water to reduce dependence on groundwater.
Nazrul Islam also suggested bringing water from the Naf river and setting up water treatment plant for purification and drinking.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST Foundation demanded partnership policies from international actors for sustainable local civil society building in Cox’s Bazar, instead of the UN and international NGOs reigning in the management of humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas.
“The partnership policy should be practiced in a transparent manner without conflict of interest,” he said, adding that local NGOs should be informed of their weaknesses if they are not selected as a partner.
Hamidul Haque Chowdhury, chairman of Ukhiya, demanded that all humanitarian agencies ensure participation of local government leaders during project preparation and implementation.
He expressed concern over terminating a higher number of local people from the jobs by humanitarian agencies.
Hamidul Haque urged for special parliamentary focus on Rohingya response management.
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