Hundreds of acres of farmland in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar have become unfit for cultivation due to waste discharged from Rohingya refugee camps. Toxic wastewater from the camps has turned canals and streams into open drains, damaging crops and contaminating the soil. As a result, at least one thousand local farmers are facing severe losses and have called for urgent and effective waste management measures.

Farmers in Ukhiya said that their lands became completely barren after the establishment of the Rohingya camps. “No matter how much we clean, polythene, plastic bottles, and medical waste from the camps float into our fields. The soil is dead,” one farmer said.

The pollution has not only affected agriculture but also damaged aquatic resources. Jafar Alam, a fisherman from Telipara, said, “The canal where I used to fish has turned into a drain. The water is toxic now, and there are no fish left. The rivers, canals, and farmland,everything is gone.”

According to the agriculture departments of Ukhiya and Teknaf, both the area of cultivable land and crop production have declined due to the waste from the camps. Departmental data show that in Teknaf, arable land has decreased from 13,728 hectares in 2015 to 11,036 hectares in 2025. In the same period, cultivable land in Ukhiya dropped from 16,840 hectares to 16,000 hectares.

Local residents alleged that although around one thousand farmers have been affected by the pollution from the camps, they have not yet received any government support or compensation.

They emphasized that while humanitarian support for the Rohingya population is crucial, environmental protection and the livelihoods of local communities must also be prioritized. Without balanced action, they warned, the prolonged Rohingya crisis will push agriculture, the environment, and the local economy into deeper distress.