Second team of the sixth phase comprising 2147 Rohingyas were voluntarily relocated on Friday to Bhasan Char, an island of Noakhali district, to ensure a better life for the vulnerable populations.
They were taken to the island by 6 ships of Bangladesh Navy from Boat Club jetties of Chattogram.
In two days of this phase, a total of 4272 Rohingyas were shifted to Bhasan char from various camps of Ukhia-Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.
The first team of 2125 Rohingyas in this phase reached the island settlement on Thursday. The Rohingyas have left the Ukhia of Coxs Bazar for Chattogram on Monday and Tuesday.
All Rohingyas in the last two days arrived safely and all arrangements were made for the newly arrived Rohingyas, Commodore Rashed Sattar, the Project Director of Bhasan Char shelter project said.
The Rohingyas are being relocated from Chattogram to Bhasan Char in Noakhali under the supervision of the Bangladesh Navy. Earlier, 14000 Rohingyas were shifted to Bhasan Char from various refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in the last fifth phase.
Samshu-Dauja Nayan, RRRC(A) Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, said the first batch of Rohingyas left Ukhia Degree College campus for Chattogram on Monday and the second batch of Rohingyas left on Tuesday.
He also said the Rohingyas have voluntarily gone to Bhasan Char settlement. The Bangladesh Navy and Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) office have jointly made all arrangements to help settle the Rohingyas on the Island.
Bangladesh Navy made arrangements to take them to Bhasan Char by ships from Boat Club jetties of Potenga area in Chattogram. On Thursday, six ships took Rohingyas from Chattogram to Bhasan Char.
In the face of another wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Navy personnel and government officials were seen to follow health guidelines strictly during relocation.
When boarding the ship, the Rohingyas said, “We were not safe at Coxs Bazar camps where many groups of miscreants control the order, so we left for Bhasan Char for better living.”
Rohingyas told that the government officials assured them of improving livelihood. For this reason, they are shifting there.
“We are going to Bhasan Char because our relatives who have already gone there are in good condition,” they added.
The government has built a shelter project for the Rohingyas at a cost of about TK 3,000 crore in Bhasan Char, where at least one lakh Rohingyas can be accommodated.
Law enforcement agencies have taken extensive security measures in the area from Ghumdhum Transit Camp to Ukhia Degree College Campus.
Since the Rohingyas living in the world's largest refugee camp are caught in a very inhumane environment, the government has taken an initiative to relocate them to Bhasan Char to find for them an easy life.
Although fifth rounds of Rohingya refugees have come to Bhasan Char, international organizations, including the United Nations, which are providing all the basic humanitarian facilities in Cox's Bazar camps have not started working on Bhasan Char yet.
A team of the UN officials also visited the Bhasan Char settlement recently, but yet they have not made any attempt to facilitate the process.