Bangladesh starts relocating first group of Rohingya to Bhasan Char island

Bangladesh has started relocating the first batch of Rohingya refugees to the remote island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal despite calls from human rights groups to stop the move.

At least 20 buses carrying the refugees have left Cox's Bazar's Ukhia for Bhasan Char on Thursday.

The buses were escorted by the Rapid Action Battalion and police personnel for security.

“We are just performing our duties to ensure the protection of the citizens of Myanmar, who are now refugees, while they are being relocated to Bhasan Char from Cox’s Bazar. The relevant officials can address any other issues regarding the move,” said Lt Col Ashik Billah, director of RAB's legal and media wing.

Officials in the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner’s office, however, did not provide the number of Rohingya refugees who are currently being relocated to Bhashan Char.

The refugees were brought to Ghumdhum Transit Camp near Kutupalong camp on Wednesday night, with around 20 buses waiting on the Ukhia Degree College campus ahead of the move to Bhashan Char, according to locals.

Law enforcement beefed up security from Ghumdhum Transit Camp to Ukhia Degree College while restricting movement in the locality.

Earlier on Nov 29, Mohammad Shamsud Douza, additional commissioner of the Office for Refugee Relief and Repatriation, said the process of relocating the first group of Rohingya to Bhasan Char would begin 'in the next 8-10 days'.

Two years ago, the government made plans to relocate a portion of the 1.1 million forcibly-displaced Rohingya people living in and outside the refugee camps along Bangladesh's south coast to Bhasan Char, situated in the Meghna River's estuary near Hatia.

However, the process of relocation failed to get off the ground due to the reluctance of the Rohingya refugees to move to the uninhabited island.

The government, at a cost of over Tk 23 billion, has set up the infrastructure for 120 cluster villages across 13,000 acres of the island to accommodate more than 100,000 people.

Bhasan Char currently shelters around 300 Rohingya, who were rescued at sea while on their way to Malaysia.

Later on Sept 5, a delegation of Rohingya refugees from the Cox's Bazar camps was sent on a visit to Bhasan Char.

Upon their return, some Rohingya expressed interest in moving to Bhasan Char, according to government officials.

However, the UNHCR and other international organisations have maintained distance from the government's initiative of relocating the Rohingya to Bhasan Char.

In a statement on Wednesday, the United Nations said it has not been involved in preparations for this movement or the identification of the refugees and has limited information on the overall relocation exercise.

The United Nations has no relation to the government initiative of relocating the first batch of Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The intergovernmental organisation called on Bangladesh to ensure that the Rohingya people are able to make a 'free and informed decision' about relocating to Bhasan Char.

Human Rights Watch also urged the government to stop relocating the Rohingya refugees to Bhashan Char, in a statement on Thursday.