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Rohingya relocation to Bhasan Char resumes

Saleh Noman . Chattogram and Ibrahil Khalil . Cox’s Bazar
25 Nov 2021 00:00:00 | Update: 26 Nov 2021 01:04:35
Rohingya relocation to Bhasan Char resumes

The relocation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals    known as Rohingyas from Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char in Noakhali has resumed on Thursday. 

On Wednesday, about 379 Rohingyas were brought to Chattogram for sending them to Bhasan Char.

Under the supervision of Bangladesh Navy, the refugees will embark on a ship to set out for their new destination on Thursday morning, according to Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission RRRC in Cox’s Bazar.

Mohammed Korshed Alam Khan, deputy commissioner of Noakhali district, told The Business Post that the forcibly displaced community will be shifted to Bhasan Char on Thursday, but did not say how many.

The Rohingyas are interested in relocation and they have been brought to Ukhiya Degree College for the purpose.

Mohammad Shamsudoza, additional Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner RRRC, said over 350 Rohingyas are in the first batch for relocation.    

Six buses carrying the refugees arrived at the Air Force’s Zahurul Haque base in Patenga area under Chattogram shortly after 6pm yesterday.

Patenga Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kabir Hossain said the displaced people will be taken to the Boat Club jetty to be picked up in ships at 6am today.

The government has provided necessary food, clothing, medicine and cash to the refugees. Everyone’s health has been checked before moving them from Cox’s Bazar.

Bangladesh Navy has implemented the project Ashryan-3 in Bhasan Char at a cost of Tk 3,100 crore for accommodating 1,00,000 Rohingyas, and as many as 18,000 have been relocated to the island so far.

Since August 25 in 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting over 1.1 million forcefully displaced Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar.

Most of them arrived there after a military crackdown in Myanmar which the UN called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and other rights groups termed it “genocide”.

On October 9, the government and the United Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a common protection and policy framework as part of humanitarian response to the Rohingyas living in Bhasan Char.

Neither the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, nor any UN agency has been involved in this year’s relocation.

The UNHCR and other international organisations are working on assessment in Bhasan Char.

As soon as the assessment is done, the international organisations will be involved in refugee management in the island.

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