DHAKA: Despite all preparations being in place, Bangladesh鈥檚 government said on Tuesday that it was waiting for a 鈥済reen signal鈥� from UN agencies to begin relocating the Rohingya to Bhasan Char, an island in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh is currently hosting about 1,150,000 Rohingya refugees in squalid camps at Cox鈥檚 Bazaar.
The government has planned to relocate about 100,000 Rohingyas to the island to ease pressure on 34 refugees camps in the Ukhia and Teknaf sub-districts of Cox鈥檚 Bazaar, which are running at full capacity.
At a cost of nearly $275 million, Bangladesh has built several hundred barracks, cyclone centers, community hospitals and mosques on the floating island where refugees will be able to earn a living by working in the agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing sectors.
Several human rights agencies and the US have urged Bangladesh to 鈥減ostpone鈥� the Rohingya relocation plan 鈥渦ntil independent experts can determine that it is a suitable location鈥� as the island is remote and prone to devastation from cyclones.
Alice G. Wells, US acting assistant secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asia, made the call while delivering her statement at a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific last week.
On Oct. 21, during a discussion with the EU, Bangladesh reassured the delegates that the relocation would be done on a 鈥渧oluntary basis.鈥�
鈥淲e can start the relocation process at any moment. But since the relocation has developed some international concerns, the UN agencies will conduct a technical assessment regarding the safety issues in the island,鈥� Shah Kamal, senior secretary of Bangladesh鈥檚 Disaster Management Ministry, told Arab News.
鈥淲e will not start the relocation without any clearance from the UN agencies,鈥� said Kamal, who is also the highest authority for the relocation process.
He said that Bangladesh authorities will send a group of Rohingya community leaders to Bhasan Char island in the next week to oversee the preparations and safety measures taken by Dhaka.
The Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) at Cox鈥檚 Bazaar has begun to inform the Rohingya about the move, showing a video clip of the preparations for them at Bhasan Char.
鈥淲e are receiving a very positive response from the refugees. So far, we have registered around 7,000 Rohingya who volunteered for the relocation,鈥� said a spokesperson from Ukhia camp, who spoke to Arab News on condition of anonymity.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR has also emphasized 鈥渢he importance of completing independent and thorough technical assessments鈥� before any relocation.
UNHCR has confirmed that the organization is in touch with the Bangladesh government about the relocation issues.
鈥淔ollowing recent developments, including reports that government officials in the camps have begun identifying refugees for relocation, the UN has reached out to the government seeking clarifications on its relocation plan and the next steps in the process,鈥� Louise Donovan, UNHCR spokesperson at Cox鈥檚 Bazar, told Arab News.
鈥淭he UN wants to understand the government鈥檚 planning, particularly as it relates to the critical protection and operational issues that should be considered before any relocations take place. These should include refugees鈥� access to basic rights and services, justice and governance, education and livelihoods opportunities, and their ability to move within Bhasan Char and to and from the mainland, Donovan said.