Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said the prolonged Rohingya crisis is placing significant pressure on the country’s environment, law-and-order situation and economy. He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of a three-week Capstone Course at the National Defence College in Mirpur Cantonment. He said the long-term presence of Rohingyas has effects extending beyond the humanitarian sphere.

The army chief said there are risks that a section of the Rohingya population could become involved in environmentally destructive activities, drug smuggling and other crimes. He said Bangladesh’s long-standing provision of shelter has also created major economic pressure, while the crisis has implications for environmental conditions and security.

NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Md Faizur Rahman delivered the welcome address and said the course aimed to expand knowledge-sharing and leadership capacity on important national and international issues. Thirty-seven participants from military, academic, medical, government, private-sector, diplomatic, media and corporate backgrounds attended. Experts discussed national security, geopolitics, the Rohingya issue, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, energy, investment, education, health, justice and media, while participants presented research papers.