After the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War a shelter camp for the Bangladeshi refugees was constructed which became Sunabeda–3, which today predominantly comprises Bengali Hindu people. The Odisha Small Industries Corporation established the Odisha Timber and Engineering Works adjacent to NH-43. Most Bengali people joined here as carpenters. When the Kolab dam was constructed a catchment formed around Sunabeda in the form of a big lake. Some of the Bengali people took to fishing and today Sunabeda is a centre for making fishing boats and nets for which fishermen from as far as Malkangiri come to buy their provisions.