Another 1464 Rohingyas reach Bhasan Char

A total of 1,464 Rohingyas on Saturday reached Bhasan Char from Patenga Boat Club in Chattogram in the fourth batch under the supervision of Bangladesh Navy, reports state-run news agency BSS.

They arrived at the Bhasan Char 24 hours after the third batch of Rohingya reached there as a part of their relocation.

Earlier, they reached Patenga from Balukhali camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar and left for Bhasan Char by four naval ships around 9.20am today after an overnight stay at a temporary transit camp of BAF Shaheen College in the port city.

The first group of 1,642 Rohingya reached Bhasan Char on 4 December last year, the second batch of 1,804 Rohingya on 29 December in 2020 and the third batch of 1,778 Rohingya yesterday under the supervision of the Bangladesh Navy.

Milon Mahmud, additional deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police told BSS that the fourth batch of 1,464 Rohingya reached Bhasan Char around 1:00pm today.

Before boarding the ship, the Rohingya were given tokens and keys of the allotted shelter homes after various data entries, he added.

Mohammad Samsuddauja, additional commissioner of the government’s refugee relief and repatriation office, said food items have been stored in Bhasan Char for three months.

Initially, cooked food will be provided to Rohingya by different Non-government Organisation (NGO)’s as representatives of 22 NGOs have started their respective works at Bhasan Char in this regard, he added.

In addition to modern accommodation for the Rohingya in Bhasan Char, educational institutions, hospitals, clinics and playgrounds have already been set up, he continued.

Jasmine Prema, chairperson of the Social Welfare and Development Organisation, said the government and 22 development agencies have been working to send only interested Rohingyas to Bhasan Char.

Mohammad Samsuddauja said that buffaloes, sheep, ducks and pigeons are being reared there for gearing up economic activities.

“Different types of vegetables are being planted. Paddy is also being cultivated experimentally there,” he added.

He went on saying that the government has provided infrastructure of 120 cluster villages on the 13,000-acres of char land at a cost of Tk 30.95 billion (3,095 crore) with its own fund to accommodate more than 100,000 Rohingya people.