Noting that the number of Rohingyas crossing the border and taking shelter in Cox’s Bazar crossed ten lakh in 2017, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibbur Rahman on Monday said the presence of Rohingya refugees for a long time has become a serious challenge for the political, social and security system.
“The government accepted them with generosity and gave them shelter. Though it didn't take long to become a major burden for our economy as we have spent Tk 120 crore annually in this sector. In addition, the cost of refugees is increasing day by day due to population growth, inflation and reduction of foreign aid,” he said.
Mohibbur Rahman came up with the information while speaking at a photo exhibition titled "Through the Lens of Hope: Rohingya Crisis Unfolded", as chief guest, in Dhaka’s Gulshan area.
Alongside it, the influx of refugees has also affected the local job market, with wages falling following the increased supply of workers willing to work at lower wages. “As a result, job opportunities for local workers have decreased.”
The decision to repatriate the refugees to Myanmar remains uncertain, creating a range of problems, including border crimes such as drugs and human trafficking and the ultimate solution to this problem is to ensure safe, voluntary and permanent repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, he added.
"Through the photo exhibition, we expected a positive change that will bring decisive action to UN representatives, donors, USAID, and world leaders," he said.
