The government of Bangladesh plans to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees to a vulnerable island in the Bay of Bengal before being repatriated to Myanmar.
According to BBC News, rights groups have raised strong objections to the plan, saying it amounts to a forced relocation.
Features of the Island Thengar Char
- The island is engulfed by several feet of water at high tide;
- It has no roads, basic facilities or flood defences;
- It was formed about a decade ago by sediment from the River Meghna, and does not appear on most maps;
- The low-lying land is around 30km (18 miles) east of Hatiya island, which has a population of 600,000 - takes nine hours journey from the camps sheltering Rohingyas.
- The island was "only accessible during winter and is a haven for pirates
Reasons behind the relocation
Cox's Bazar, which houses 32,000 Rohingya in a squalid refugee colony, is home to the world's longest unbroken beach and Bangladesh's largest resort. Officials fear the presence of the Rohingya may put off would-be tourists. The push to attract tourists is being blamed in part for the proposal to relocate them, which has the backing of Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Preparation for relocation
The government of Bangladesh is now setting up a committee of state officials to help identify and relocate undocumented Myanmar nationals.
Source: Rohingya in Bangladesh face relocation to island, BBC News, 30 Jan 2016
