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Rohingya relocation to Bhasanchar resumes


Published : 24 Nov 2021 09:54 PM

The government resumed relocating the forcefully displaced Rohingyas to Bhasanchar in Noakhali from Wednesday after a long gap since April last.  

About 260 Rohingyas in six transport vehicles left for Naval Berth in Chattogram at around 11 am from the transit point of Ukhia College ground, where the sheltered refugees from different camps started gathering since Tuesday noon.

From Chottogram naval base the Rohingyas will sail to Bhasanchar island shelter by ship under the supervision of the Bangladesh Navy.

Earlier, on April 1 and 2, in the sixth phase (in two parts), four thousand 362 Rohingyas were shifted to Bhasanchar. This time the government has set a target of relocating 2,000 more Rohingyas to Bhasanchar. The information came from law enforcement agencies concerned with the Rohingya and officials from the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, Relief and Repatriation (RRC).

Cox's Bazar-6 APBN Additional Superintendent of Police Kamran Hossain said the process of relocating more than 1,500 Rohingyas who had voluntarily agreed to go to Bhasanchar from various camps, including Ukhia was underway. Work is underway to take them from the camp to Ukhia Degree College ground.

Jamalida Begum, leader of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) in Ukhia, said a group of 26 Rohingyas from five families from her camp had voluntarily left the camp to go to Bhasanchar. They have been kept in Ukhia Degree College.

She said Muhibullah, chairman of ARSPH, was shot dead at his office in Kutupalong camp on September 29. Then on the night of October 22, the residents of the Rohingya camp in Ukhia were terrified when six people were killed at the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama Al-Islamia Madrasa. So most of the Rohingya are moving to Bhasanchar.

Nowsher Ibn Halim, RRRC representative and camp in-charge (assistant secretary) of Bhasanchar, said that the Rohingya contingent was scheduled to reach Bhasanchar on Thursday. We have also made similar preparations in Bhasanchar.

Ukhia Kutupalong Rohingya camp chairman, Rafiq said that many in the camp were living in terror after the Rohingya leader Muhibullah and the six murders. So this time the Rohingyas have expressed their desire to go to Bhasanchar out of fear. Besides, as the UN is involved in the activities of Bhasanchar, they are being encouraged to go to Bhasanchar. Several Rohingya families have already left the camp.