First Day of Rohingyas in Bhasanchar; Condemnation of Aid Agencies

The displaced Rohingya refugees have spent a day on the island of Bhasanchar, which awoke two decades ago in southern Bangladesh. Most of the Rohingyas have expressed their satisfaction with the environment there.

But Human Rights Watch says the government should not have relocated Rohingya without a technical assessment by international agencies.

To reduce the pressure on the Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar, 1842 Rohingyas were taken to Bhasan Char in six ships on Friday under the supervision of the Navy and Coast Guard.

Upon arrival, the Navy officials briefed them on the rules for staying in the camp after checking everyone's body temperature and washing their hands.

Then each family understands their own house and belongings. It is learned that 22 international organizations are stationed in Bhasanchar to provide humanitarian assistance.

For the first few days, food will be provided to the Rohingyas under the supervision of the Navy.

The Rohingyas are excited to get quality new pucca houses and healthy living areas in Bhasanchar.

Aropa Begum from Kutupalong Camp No. 17 said, "I like Jaga Deki, Basa Deki. I can't play with the hills and children there. I can't graze the cows. All are equal here. I like it."

Lalu Begum said, "I was in a dilemma there. Space here is big and equal. There is security here. There is water, there is a bathroom. We don't have to bother."

The Bangladesh government has been undertaking this shelter project on the island since 2016 to relocate Rohingyas to Bhasanchar.

Since then, internationally-funded development agencies, including the United Nations, the European Union, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, have opposed it.

Steven Dujarric, a spokesman for the latest UN secretary-general, called the move "inappropriate."

Earlier, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International called on the Bangladeshi government to immediately stop relocating to Bhasanchar.

Prior to the relocation to Bhasanchar, the United Nations had called for an independent technical and safety assessment by all international organizations.

Meenakshi Ganguly, director of the South Asia division of Human Rights Watch, expressed dissatisfaction with the relocation of Rohingyas without that.

"Our question is, why are they in such a hurry? They should not have shifted so quickly without any technical assessment. It is a pirate. There are frequent cyclones, there are always people at risk. Why did the Bangladesh government take this risk? Proceed in the right way. "

A delegation of Rohingyas was sent there last September to see the situation on the ground as there was opposition from the international community, including the United Nations, to Bhasanchar from the beginning.

The purpose was to visit Bhasanchar on the spot and inform the Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar about the environmental situation there and to encourage them to relocate.

Since the beginning of the transfer process here, international organizations have raised many questions. The agency said in a statement on Wednesday that the UN had not been involved in the transfer process.

In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh called on these international organizations not to misinterpret.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the relocation of Rohingyas to Bhasanchar was a "sincere effort" by the government to improve their living standards.

Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Samsuddauja called on international organizations to come to the Bhasanchar project for on-the-spot monitoring.

He said, "International organizations should come to the spot without talking about how the Rohingyas are here, whether they are getting food, whether they have gone voluntarily, what facilities are there in Bhasanchar. Talk to them."

"They say so much to those who have been granted asylum, and no one says anything to the country that expelled these people. They put pressure on the United Nations to take back Myanmar's citizens." Said Mohammad Samsuddauja.

However, the government has said it will continue diplomatic efforts to ensure that the Rohingya return to their homeland, Myanmar, wherever they may be kept.

It is being said that they are giving utmost importance to repatriation rather than rehabilitation of Rohingyas.

Source: BBC Bangla