Third phase Rohingya relocation to Bhasan Char begins

The relocation of over 1,700 Rohingya to Bhasan Char in Noakhali from Chattogram began on Friday morning. Four ships were taking the Rohingyas from Chattogram Boat Club to the island where Bangladesh government installed facilities for the forcibly displaced Myanmar people.

A total of 1,778 Rohingya people were set to be relocated today.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, a Rohingya man, Shahabuddin, said his brothers informed him that there are more facilities at Bhasan Char than at the camps in Cox’s Bazar. Shahabuddin’s brothers shifted there earlier.

While boarding the ship, a Rohingya woman, Riya Khatun, said that she was going to Bhasan Char with her four children. Her relatives are there.

Mohammed Shamsud Douza, additional refugee, relief and expatriation commissioner on Thursday said they have taken preparations to relocate 3,000 Rohingya people on Friday and Saturday.

On Thursday, 1,787 Rohingya of 353 families were brought to Chattogram by 38 buses. Another 1,300 Rohingya will be brought to Chattogram today. Then they will be relocated to Bhasan Char by the ships of Bangladesh Navy.

Earlier, a total of 3,446 Rohingya people were relocated to Bhasan Char in two phases on 4 and 29 December last year.

Ukhiya Kutupalong Camp-2 East Rohingya refugee camp in-charge Md Rashedul Islam on Thursday said over 600 people from that camp have voluntarily gone to Chattogram to go to Bhasan Char.

UNB adds: Bangladesh, one of the most densely-populated countries in the world, is currently hosting more than 1.1 million Rohingyas. The majority of them came here since 25 August 2017 fleeing persecution in their homeland, Rakhine state of Myanmar.

Bangladesh has been urging the global community to take effective steps to put pressure on Myanmar to create a congenial atmosphere for Rohingya repatriation but there has been little progress.

The presence of the huge number of Rohingyas in the coastal district has put them on a collision course with the locals. Many Rohingyas have gotten involved in various criminal activities.

Foreign minister AK Momen has said the Rohingya population will pose a serious security threat to the entire region if they are not sent back to their homeland as soon as possible.

Located 34 kilometres from the mainland, the island surfaced 20 years ago and was never inhabited.

Contractors say its infrastructure is like a modern township, with multifamily concrete homes, schools, playgrounds and roads. It also has solar-power facilities, a water supply system and cyclone shelters.

The island has all modern amenities and recently a police station was set up there.