A plan to build a long boundary wall inside a reserved forest in Teknaf to manage Rohingya camp waste has triggered concern among forest officials, residents and environmentalists, who warn it could disrupt wildlife movement and damage the ecosystem.
Work is under way in the Nayapara area of the Muchni Beat under Teknaf Range, adjacent to the Shalbagan Rohingya camp, where the wall is expected to be around eight to 10 feet high and extend over a large stretch of forest land.
A project insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the initiative is being implemented with funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and managed by a local non-governmental organisation to improve waste management in the camps.
Local residents say such a structure inside a forest corridor could block animal movement, worsen habitat fragmentation and, over time, disturb ecological balance, adding that enclosed spaces may also increase the risk of illicit activities.
Forest Department sources say the Shalbagan and nearby nature park areas form part of a wider reserved forest that hosts a range of mammals, birds and reptiles, many already under pressure from human encroachment and settlement expansion.
Field staff involved in forest patrols report sightings of monkeys, foxes, wild elephants and junglefowl in the area, warning that further construction could restrict their range, intensify food shortages and shrink available habitat.
Environmental experts and researchers say any major intervention in a protected forest should undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), cautioning that proceeding without such assessment could cause long-term ecological harm.
Office of The Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Camp-in-Charge (Senior Assistant Secretary) Khanjada Shahriar Bin Mannan said the project aims to collect and manage waste from several refugee camps at a designated site rather than allowing it to spread across the area.
“Details of the project are available at higher levels,” he said, adding that camp authorities do not have a direct role in its implementation and that such initiatives are undertaken with approval from relevant ministries and in coordination with international agencies.
Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division Teknaf Muchni Range Officer Abdur Rashid said the land falls under the Forest Department, but effective control is limited as the area lies within barbed-wire fencing.
“In practical terms, the Forest Department is helpless inside the fenced zone,” he said, adding that officials have tried several times to halt the construction but lasting action is difficult without coordination from other authorities.
He said further details could be obtained from the RRRC office, as the issue involves multiple agencies.
Stakeholders say balancing humanitarian needs with conservation is critical, warning that failure to consider ecological impacts could put Teknaf’s forest and biodiversity under severe threat.
