Ten months later, two Rohingyas, who were to be trafficked to Malaysia, were reunited with their families in Bhasan Char on Wednesday.
At present, 306 Rohingyas who were rescued by Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard in May in 2020 are in Bhasan Char. Before being rescued they were in a floating boat in the international open sea. Then they were taken to Bhasan Char island south of Noakhali district where the Bangladesh Government builds a shelter for Rohingyas refugees.
Din Mohammad (35) father of one child had tried to escape from crowded Balukhali, a refugee camp on Coxs Bazar by boat last February. But when they were on the way to Malaysia with the help of human traffickers in late March, the world came under threat of Coronavirus pandemic. The countries including southeastern country Malaysia was under lockdown and all overseas entry also stopped.
The Rohingyas including Din Mohammad was refused entry by the Malaysian Coast Guard. Then they were trying to land in several other islands in Indonesia and Thailand but failed. For weeks they were floating in the sea in a boat till Bangladesh authorities rescued them.
Din Mohammaed later met his wife Sanjida Begum and a two year old son at Bhasan Char, as she reached the island settlement with 1804 Rohingyas from Coxs Bazar. The Bangladesh authority shifted the 1804 Rohingyas when they voluntarily listed themselves for relocation.
Din Mohammad told Bangladesh Post, “I opted to travel to Malaysia for a better future for my family. But when the Malaysian authorities did not allow our boat to dock, I never thought it was better to reunite with my family.”
He continued, “We were floating for three months in the boat, the sea was rough, and there was little food and water left with us,” said Din Mohammad adding, “At that time I thought I would never be reunited again.”
Sanjida, wife of Din Mohammad, said, “I came here at Bhasan Char to live with my Husband - thanks to Bangladesh government to give us the chance for a new life through such reunion.”
When the Rohingyas were floating at the beginning of monsoon and cyclone at Bay of Bangle and adjoining the Indian Ocean, the United Nations UN and rights group asked the nations across the region to rescue and host the Rohingyas, but no country response.
Out of 306 Rohingyas, Ayat Ullah met his mother Ealon Bahar at Bhasan Char when he got information about his family's relocation to the island settlement.
Ayat Ullah said, “In the boat, there were many people, we tried several times to enter into Malaysia where my elder brother also lives.”
“I also paid more than Tk 200,000 to the traffickers but failed to find a better life,” he said, adding “Now we should start a new life here with the help of the Bangladesh government.”
His Mother, Ealon Bahar also thanked the Bangladesh Navy for saving the life of her son.
Rasedul Hasan, an official of Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in Bhasan Char said that we were tracking the families of the rescued Rohingyas of Bhasan Char. We have been able to identify the families of these two, then have been reunited with their families.