The Bangladesh government has started training for the Rohingyas in Bhasan Char to improve their living standard.
To this end, the Rural Development Board, BRDB, the largest body of the government engaged in poverty alleviation, has been given the responsibility.
In the first phase, since last Wednesday, 250 Rohingyas have been given a two-phase training. Two members of each Rohingya family living in Bhasan Char will receive this training.
3500 Rohingyas are currently living in Bhasan Char and another 3000 are going there on Friday and Saturday. The government has built a shelter for about one lakh Rohingyas in Bhasan Char, an island in the Bay of Bengal under Noakhali district
There is enormous potential for agricultural cultivation and cattle rearing in Bhasan Char. Rohingyas have also expressed interest in getting involved in the work. The concerned ministries of government have taken the immediate initiative on how to exploit the potential of the Rohingyas.”
Bhasan Char emerged around 20 years ago. The shelter project has been set up there at a cost of around Tk 3,000 crore for housing one lakh Rohingyas. Some 120 cyclone shelters were constructed under this shelter project. There is enough land for grazing thousands of cattle heads as the area and adjoining Islands are considered to be one of the largest cattle shelters in the country.
S M Masudur Rahman, Director Planning of BRDB said, in the first phase, 250 Rohingyas are being given five days of basic training on living standard development and awareness. These Rohingyas will then be given training on livestock, cattle rearing, fish farming, or agriculture as per their choice. Arrangements have also been made for sewing training for women.”
After the training, they will be given further assistance to establish themselves in the specific profession.
BRDB has been working tirelessly for the socio-economic development of the rural poor since independence. In terms of experience and scope of work, BRDB is the single largest government organization in rural development and poverty alleviation.
At present, BRDB is making efforts for integrated rural development by organizing the small and resourceless poor in rural areas under cooperative societies and informal parties in line with the rural development policy and strategy of the government.
BRDB has many successful programmes to improve the living standard of the people in the poor afflicted areas of the northern part of the country. Officials hope their experience will help improve the living standard of the world's poorest Rohingyas.
About the BRDB initiative, Manjur Alam A Maji community leader of Rohingyas in Bhasan Char said, we are waiting for months for such kind of training in refugee camps. In Bhasan Char, we are getting this which will lead to us a normal life.
Amina Khatun, a Rohingya woman in Bhasan Char said, we have been given all the opportunities and facilities that the government has assured us about rehabilitation in Bhasan Char. As a result of this training, we will get a taste of a new life in the job opportunities that will be created.
The length of Bhasan Char is about 7.5 km in the north-south and 6.5 km in the east-west. At present, the land of the island is about 30,000 acres, of which around 13,000 acres are now usable.
Although the government has rehabilitated the Rohingyas in Bhasan Char, international organizations, including the United Nations, have not yet agreed on the issue.
Officials said, looking for a new life, thousands of Rohingyas are already listed willingly to relocate to Bhasan Char settlement where the government has arranged multiple facilities compared to those in the world largest refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.
Relocating more than 3000 Rohingyas from Cox's Bazar to Bhasan Char is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.