Chattogram: Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Fahmida Khatun said on Sunday that the Rohingya crisis is putting an adverse effect on Bangladesh, mostly on its economy, society and the environment.

In a jointly organised dialogue titled ‘The Economic Influence of the Rohingya Crisis and the Upcoming Budget’ along with local chapter of Socheton Nagorik Committee (SNC -Transparency International Bangladesh), she also stressed on how Bangladesh is going through a multifarious challenge as a result of this crisis, reports the UNB.

Dr Fahmida Khatun pointed out that the fall of social values in the Rohingya camps, population rise, hygiene crisis and a negative impression about the Rohingyas by the local Bangalees as the outcome of the ongoing crisis.

‘Beginning from August last year till March 25 this year, $322 million have been donated for the Rohingyas through international donor agencies,’ she stated, ‘the Bangladesh government has estimated that $434 million has been spent on some 80 million Rohingyas till then. Seventy four percent of that expense has been borne by the agencies, but the rest have been accumulated by our government.’

Their estimates showed that taking care of them for the rest of the year will require a further $950 million.

As per the repatriation agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar, if Myanmar decides to take back 300 Rohingyas every month, then the problem will not be solved before 2025.

She said that the next 7 years will require another $4433 million for sheltering and feeding them.

The National Economic Council of Bangladesh government has approved a $280 million project to establish a refugee camp for 1 million Rohingyas in Bhasan Char.

The question-answer session was moderated by CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya.

Among others, Professor Alamgir Mohammad Sirajuddin, SNC Chattogram president Akter Kabir Chowdhury and Major General Md Emdadul Islam (Retd) also spoke during the occasion.