Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh forcibly relocated to remote 'insecure' island

Human rights groups have expressed concern over Bangladesh's decision to move thousands of Rohingya refugees to an unsafe island without their consent. ۔

There are concerns about the island being unsafe.

About 1,600 refugees were evacuated to Bhesan Char Island on Friday, according to Reuters. The island is in danger of flooding.

However, Bangladesh has clarified that the refugees who have been transferred to the island were given prior permission.

Rohingya refugees

Human rights groups say the refugees were taken to the "unsafe" island on Friday without their consent.

More than 1400 residences built on Bhesanchar Island. Where many families will use the shared washroom

According to Human Rights Watch, they spoke to the families of 12 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, whose names are on the list, but said they were not ready to move to the island.

The United Nations says it has shared limited information on the transfer of refugees.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momin on Thursday clarified that his government has not forcibly relocated anyone to Bhesanchar Island and that our resolve has not changed.

It should be noted that a large number of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar fled the country after the Myanmar army cracked down on a large scale three years ago, which UN investigators say these soldiers Tens of thousands were killed and 730,000 were forced to flee the country.

Large numbers of Rohingya refugees have been forced to live on the campus of Cox's Bazar in neighboring Bangladesh since the large-scale military operation.

One of the refugees, a 55-year-old Rashida woman, told the BBC in October that her children were among the 300 refugees sent to Bhesanchar. According to him, earlier this year he spent several months at sea trying to go to Bangladesh but now he has been sent to the island without his consent.

A 31-year-old man told Reuters by phone on Thursday that he had been taken on a bus from Cox's Bazar. According to him, the authorities are forcibly taking him away from here. I fled the area three days ago when I heard that my family was on the list, but I was caught the other day and the authorities have now brought me here to send me to the island.

Refugee children

Muhammad Shamsud Doza, a Bangladeshi government official who also oversees the refugees, said the transfer was voluntary.

They (refugees) are going there happily. No one is being forced.

According to him, the government is taking all necessary steps to deal with any emergency situation, including all the means are being used for the comfortable accommodation and needs of the refugees living on the island.

Construction of 1,440 homes began on the island in 2018

Bangladeshi authorities have been arranging accommodation for the refugees on the island for three years at a cost of 350 350 million. The authorities aim to reduce the burden on refugee camps inside Bangladesh.

Earlier this year, Amnesty International released a report on the plight of refugees, with 306 Rohingya families already living on the island.

The report alleges unfavorable and unhealthy conditions for the islanders. The report mentions limited food and health facilities for these refugees.

Amnesty writes that these families do not even have adequate phone access to contact their relatives. The refugees are also being sexually harassed on the island by the Navy and local workers.

According to the report, Navy personnel and local laborers also receive extortion from these refugees.

Navy spokesman Commodore Abdullah al-Mamoum Chaudhry has denied the allegations. "We are treating these refugees like our guests and giving them access to all facilities, including quality food," the spokesman said.