DHAKA – A group of more than 1,700 Rohingya Muslim refugees left for a remote island in the Bay of Bengal with more preparation to leave on Saturday, a Bangladesh navy official said, despite concerns about the risk of storms and floods there.
They are the newest addition to the nearly 3,500 Rohingya refugees from neighboring Myanmar that Bangladesh has sent to the island of Bhasan Char since early December, from the border camps where one million live in crumbling huts.
“Today we expect more than 1,700 people to arrive here,” Commodore Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury, the official in charge of the island, said by telephone to Reuters on Friday.
More Rohingya, who offered to move to the island, was being moved from the camps to the nearest port city, Chittagong, he added.
“Tomorrow they will be transferred to Bhasan Char. All together, we expect more than 3,000 people,” said Chowdhury.
The island, which emerged from the sea just two decades ago, is several hours’ drive from the southern port.
The Rohingya, a minority group that fled violence in Myanmar, a majority Buddhist, are not allowed to leave the island without government permission.
Bangladesh says relocation is voluntary, but part of the first group, sent in December, spoke of being coerced.
The government also says overcrowding in camps in Cox’s Bazar district is fueling crimes, as efforts to return them to Myanmar have failed.
“What options do we have? How long can we live in camps packed with tarps?” asked Mohammed Ibrahim, 25, on the way to the island where some of his relatives have already been transferred.
“This is not going anywhere, the way the international community is dealing with our crisis,” he told Reuters by cell phone.
Bangladesh also dismissed concerns about flooding on the island, citing the construction of a 12 km (7.5 mile) long and 2 meter (6.5 feet) high embankment, as well as housing for 100,000 people, hospitals and centers cyclones.
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The country has received criticism for its reluctance to consult with humanitarian aid agencies, including the UN refugee agency, on transfers.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says the agency is not allowed to assess the safety and sustainability of life on the island.
“We hope to continue a constructive dialogue with the government regarding the Bhasan Char project, including proposals for UN technical and protection assessments,” the document said by email.