DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF ROHINGYA FORCED MIGRATION ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF TOURISM DESTINATION IN BANGLADESH

Rohingya forced migration has damaged the tourism destination in Bangladesh. The research focuses on the impact of Rohingya influx on tourism destination in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh. The environmental aspects of the tourism destination have been highlighted in this study. This research has been conducted using mixed method approaches consisting of both qualitative and quantitative data. The primary data has been collected through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Qualitative data has been collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In-depth interviews. Three distinct groups have been focused on as samples for the study, including tourist experts, host communities, and Rohingya experts. Questionnaire survey has been conducted to gather quantitative data regarding the Rohingya forced migration's impact on tourism. Key Informant Interview (KII) has also been used to check the quantitative data accuracy of this study. The study found majority (64 %) of the respondent strongly agreed that forest cover has been decreasing due to the Rohingya influx, and it has been destroying the beauty of tourist destinations. The water channel is an integral part of the environment in the tourist destination. Almost 55% of the respondents strongly agreed that Rohingya is the primary source of water pollution. Almost 45 % of people strongly agreed, and 41.5% agreed that Rohingya is the main causes for solid waste pollution in tourism destination at Cox’s Bazar. In addition, more than fifty percent of the local people agree that house building materials, domestic and market waste, and solid wastes generated from Rohingya people are responsible for the destruction of the tourist harbor. The study has also identified that Rohingya are responsible for the destruction of tourism based local economy in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh. Research findings of this study could be used to mitigate the impact of Rohingya migrants on the tourism environment in Bangladesh.