Rohingya refugees have agreed to be relocated to Bhashan Char after finding it safe and habitable. The refugees will be relocated soon from the overcrowded camps of Cox’s Bazar to Bashan Char, an Island of Bay of Bangle under Noakhali, a southern coastal district.
According to a Disaster Management and Relief Ministry source, there will be at least five camps in Bhasan Char, which are under well-managed facilities including education, health and other basic supports. Rohingya refugees being relocated to Bhashan Char will be given the opportunity of cultivating fish, poultry and livestock farming. 120 ponds and two large water reservoirs ready for fish culture so that the Rohingyas living there can earn living.
The initiative is being taken to relieve the refugees from the miserable conditions of living in the overcrowded camps. They will be given ponds to fish and enough space for rearing animals. Moreover the presence of the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar has had a huge impact on the area’s environment and the local communities.
The government has taken the
initiative to relocate one hundred
thousand of the total about 1.
1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char
Firstly, due to the massive number of refugees, the environment has been adversely affected and is quickly being depleted of precious resources. The huge amount of refugees living in the camps has also resulted in the production of waste. The residents of the camps have been polluting the area indiscriminately and there is no proper waste management in place.
Many Rohingyas have already expressed interest to be shifted to Bashan Char. Based on this the authorities have completed all preparations to start the relocation. Meanwhile, repatriation efforts on part of the government continue, and many nations are also putting pressure on Myanmar. However, realistically the repatriation process is sure to take a long time. Therefore, the government has taken the initiative to relocate one hundred thousand of the total about 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char.
The UN has commended the government’s initiative to offer alternative locations for refugees to settle, which could help decongest the overcrowded settlements in Cox’s Bazar and reduce pressure on affected host communities. This will also reduce the negative impact on the environment. However, we hope that this initiative has no negative impact on the repatriation process that is underway.