Use of LP gas is getting popular in the camps of Rohingyas who have taken shelter in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh.
According to Cox’s Bazar South Forestry Department, Rohingya’s sheltered in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas used to burn almost 10,000 tonnes of firewood every day; most of which came from the social forestry of Ukhiya-Teknaf.
But, now the government and NGO’s have been distributing liquefied petroleum gas cylinders among the Rohingyas to help reduce the use of firewood.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Nikaruzzaman said, “So far, we distributed LPG cylinders and stoves to about 24 to 25 thousands Rohingya families. Besides, 2700 local Bangladeshi families, affected by the influx, were also given the cylinders.”
Rohingya leaders at different camps - Lalu Mazi, Foyez Mazi and Mokhtar Mazi – said, we used to cut trees for firewood but we don’t need to do that anymore as we are provided with LPG cylinders. It’s easier to cook with gas-run stoves.
The camps house to about one million Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh to save their lives from the Myanmar military which launched a crackdown Aug 25 last year and killed thousands of innocent people and raped women.
Since their arrival, they have been cutting trees to meet their firewood need damaging forestry and environment in the district.
They also built 165,000 shelters on the reserved forestry wiping out vast area of greenery adversely affected biodiversity that amounts to losses in over Tk 3.97 billion.
To prevent the forestry from being destroyed any further, the government, international aid organizations and NGO’s recommended the use of gas-run stoves.
Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, President of Cox’s Bazar Civil Society said, “Introducing LPG cylinders in Rohyinga camps is one of the notable changes that the government brought about during the past 12 months.”
“.. there are some risk though given many among them don’t know how to operate a gas-run stove. They should be given instruction in that regard,” he added.
Cox’s Bazar South Forestry Department’s official Md. Ali Kabir said, “Rogingyas started to decimate forestry department’s land ever since they came here. The cut down hills on the reserved forestry to build about 1,65,000 shelters.”
Forestry department became extremely helpless at this, he said, before adding, “.. thanks to this initiative that the Rohingya’s are using LP gas now. The adverse effect on the forestry would have been a lot less if this was thought of earlier.”