LEDARS distributed fuel efficient improve cook stove in Rohingya camp at 22 February 2018 to reduce use of fire wood and briquette as it is major environmental concern. Rohingya issue is a widely discussed issue now in Bangladesh and even in the south Asia. According to the information of Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) hosted by IOM, on 21 January 2018, 688,000 Rohingya people took sheltered in Bangladesh in Teknaf and Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar district from 25 August 2017 and more than one million people totals are staying in the Rohingya camp in Bangladesh according to the local media. They are provided by shelters making materials and reliefs like rice, pulses, oil, etc.
About 4,440 acres of forest land has been destroyed to make shelter homes in Bangladesh. Besides this they are cutting trees from the local forest to building shelter homes and cook food what they are receiving as relief. Fire wood crisis is the main challenges of the Rohingya camp area reported by the local coordination authority. They are collecting wood from the forest to cooking food every day. In this regard, some news about the destruction of mountainous forests and possibility of disasters has been published in national and international newspapers. Government and environmentalists are concerned about this. According to the local forest department, every family needs at least 5 kg of wood daily, it is being collected from the local forest. Rohingya people are burning about 800 tons of wood per day in Rohingya Camp. It is equivalent to two football/soccer fields in the amount of forests that are being used as fire wood every day for cooking food of about 150,000 Rohingya families. Therefore, it has been urged by Ministry and Forest and local administration to provide fuel efficiency cook stove and alternative fuel.
As an environmental organization LEDARS started to a pilot project entitled “Improve Environmental Condition of Rohingya Camp in Bangladesh” with support of UK based NGO, HANDS. Under the project, LEDARS initially distributed 500 fuel efficiency cook stoves among Rohinga people in Jamtoli camp under supervision of Md. Rezaul Karim, Senior Assistant Secretary and Md. Anas Ibne Monjur, 40 Field Artillery Camp Commander of Bangladesh Army in 22 February 2018. The distribution ceremony coordinated by Mr. Golam Rabbani, Zonal Coordinator of Christian Aid and Md. Shawkat Hossain Advocacy Officer of LEDARS. It is a concrete, wool and iron made potable cook stove which designed by IDCOL. This stove can reduce upto 50% use of firewood or briquette. LEDARS is monitoring the use of cook stove. LEDARS has plan to distribute up to 50,000 cook stoves and alternative fuel in this year.