UNHCR faces allegations over hill cutting, permanent shelter construction in Ukhiya

Allegations against the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) over the construction of what locals describe as permanent housing for Rohingya refugees through hill cutting in Ukhiya camps have sparked concern and protests among local representatives and residents.

The construction is taking place in Block E of Extension Camp 4 in the Kutupalong area, where locals claim a 10-foot road has been carved out by cutting hills. They also allege that 888 shelters are being built after further hill cutting, with the use of brick and iron, indicating permanent structures.

Gofur Uddin Chowdhury, chairman of Palongkhali Union, said the initiative appears aimed at long-term settlement. “Providing permanent housing will create obstacles to repatriation,” he said, adding that hill cutting is causing environmental damage while authorities remain silent.

Sultan Mahmud Chowdhury, general secretary of the Ukhiya BNP unit, said the use of brick and iron – unlike the usual bamboo shelters – has heightened local concern. “This has created anxiety among residents,” he said, warning that permanent housing would reduce the likelihood of repatriation and calling for an immediate halt to construction and hill cutting.

Barrister Saffat Fardeen Chowdhury, a Supreme Court lawyer, said such construction by international organisations has continued over the past year. He said it risks discouraging Rohingya repatriation and added that resentment is growing among locals.

Helal Uddin, a local Union Parishad member, warned that hill cutting ahead of the monsoon could worsen environmental risks and disasters. He also said permanent housing could complicate repatriation and increase risks of drug trafficking and human smuggling.

Advocate Md Abdul Mannan, president of the Cox’s Bazar District Bar Association, said earlier plans had placed Rohingya settlements along the Naf River, but they were later moved to hilly areas west of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road. He alleged the current brick-and-iron construction indicates an attempt to make the settlement permanent and warned of protests if it continues.

When contacted, UNHCR public relations official Mosharraf Hossain said a detailed response would be given on Sunday, noting that yesterday was a public holiday for Buddha Purnima, followed by the weekend.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Mizanur Rahman confirmed that UNHCR is constructing some shelters, but said the agency has denied allegations of hill cutting. He said camp authorities have been instructed to inspect the site and stop any hill cutting if found.

He added that the structures are not permanent, explaining that some earlier shelters were deemed unsafe and residents were relocated. The new shelters, he said, are intended for those displaced families, and there is no provision for permanent housing for Rohingya refugees.