'Alhamdulillah, more than pleased with Bhasan Char features': Rohingya man
Sayed Ullah, among the Rohingyas landed on Bhasan Char in Friday, could not hold his feelings of excessive happiness seeing all of the facilities there and stored calling relatives back Cox's Bazar camps to become listed on the next batch.
"Alhamdulillah. We are really happy. I had never imagined that such a lovely place is looking forward to us with so various facilities," he told UNB over phone.
Ukhiya Camp in Cox's Bazar where Rohingya refugees now are in crowded makeshift room.
Syed made a large number of phone calls to his family members and friends who are still moving into Cox's Bazar camps and motivated them to join the second batch with no hesitation.
"I kept calling them. That's the very first thing I have after my arrival in Bhasan Char," he explained.
The 30-year-old Rohingya man together with his wife, three daughters and only son reached Bhasan Char in the afternoon.
"Nobody did force us to come here. I came below voluntarily. Everybody will be willing to come here after they see the facilities," he said.
Ukhiya Camp in Cox's Bazar
The Rohingya man said he had a small amount of fear at heart and prayed to Almighty Allah all the way to Bhasan Char by ship. "We are more than happy nowadays. Everybody appears happy below. We thank Allah as we acquired a lot more than what we thought of."
His siblings remain in Cox's Bazar though many distant relatives are also with him in Bhasan Char.
Syed Ullah expressed satisfaction witnessing mosques, housing facilities much better than Cox's Bazar and necessary things.
In the face of growing concern over the extreme congestion in the camps of Cox’s Bazar and avert any threat of death because of landslides and other unwarranted incidents, the federal government has made a decision to relocate, in phases, 1,00,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char.
'Alhamdulillah, more than happy with Bhasan Char services': Rohingya man
Accordingly, in the first phase, a lot more than 1600 Rohingyas, who expressed their willingness voluntarily for relocation, were shifted to Bhashan Char on Friday.
The Rohingyas were taken to Chattogram by buses and kept in a school at night.
They had dinner and started for Bhasan Char in the morning after having breakfast.
The first batch reached the Bhasan Char around 3pm.
"We will Bhasan Char. Nobody does power me or other customers of my family," one of the Rohingya moms said expressing satisfaction over their relocation from the crowded camps.
Why Relocation?
'Alhamdulillah, more than pleased with Bhasan Char establishments': Rohingya man
'Alhamdulillah, more than pleased with Bhasan Char establishments': Rohingya man
The relocation has become imperative to decongest the overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar which may have temporarily been accommodating practically a million of Rohingyas with a lot more thousands born each year, said the government.
It said the deteriorating secureness situation because of prolonged stay of the frustrated people in Cox’s Bazar also compelled the federal government of Bangladesh to come up with a contingency program and develop Bhashan Char from its budgetary allocation.
Accordingly, the federal government invested a lot more than USD 350.00 million to build up the island.
The 13,000 acres island has all modern amenities, year-round clean water, beautiful lake and proper infrastructure and improved facilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.
These include uni
nterrupted supply of electric power and water, agricultural plots, cyclone shelters, two hospitals, four community treatment centers, mosques, warehouses, telecommunication companies, police station, recreation and learning centers, playgrounds, and many others.
As opposed to the makeshift structures of the camps in Cox’s Bazar, the accommodation in Bhashan Char is strongly-built with concrete foundation that may withstand normal disasters such as cyclones and tidal waves, said the federal government.
'Alhamdulillah, more than happy with Bhasan Char establishments': Rohingya man
Super Cyclone Amphan proved the effectiveness of the structures of Bhashan Char, it said.
Unlike the apprehension of some quarters about the feasibility of the island, Bhashan Char stood strong against the large storm, said the federal government.
Regardless of the heightened tidal wave, all the 1,440 houses and 120 shelter stations in the island remained unharmed, the statement said.
The island is linked with the mainland through waterways.
Facilities for Rohingyas
The MoFA said the federal government of Bangladesh has ensured satisfactory way to obtain food along with proper sanitation and medical facilities for Rohingyas in Bhashan Char.
'Alhamdulillah, more than pleased with Bhasan Char establishments': Rohingya man
Appropriate hospitals with highly-qualified medical researchers, adequate Covid testing and treatment facilities are there set up, it said.
In addition to federal government agencies, around 22 NGOs already are there to increase all conceivable support to the relocated Rohingyas.
Ample security has been ensured in the island by deploying police personnel, including policewomen, and the region is fully covered with CCTV cameras.
On the relocation, the government said its job was very clear and transparent from the beginning that any relocation will be totally on a voluntary basis.
Accordingly, a good number of Rohingya representatives undertook a “go-and-see” visit to Bhashan Char to see the facilities and make an unbiased and informed choice, MoFA said.
A number of NGOs and journalists also visited the island.
Every one of them expressed their high pleasure at the available conveniences found in Bhashan Char, MoFA added.
A media team and several senior journalists already are in Bhashan Char.
Moreover, the relocation was preceded by sufficient preparations and consultations held with numerous stakeholders, MoFA said.
"Many rounds of discussions, predicated on the queries of the United Nations, were also arranged and we expectation that the international network and the US, according to its mandate, will be engaged in the process soon," the statement reads.
The relocation is portion of the broader plan of repatriation which may be the only priority for the federal government of Bangladesh.
The MoFA said the skill development and livelihood opportunity that the Rohingyas can avail in Bhashan Char would prepare them because of their reintegration in the Myanmar society on return.
The types of economical activities such as for example fishing, agriculture, goat rearing, etc that they used to pursue in Rakhine talk about can be purchased in Bhashan Char.
Repatriation attempter failed twice found in November 2018 and August 2019 amid Rohingyas' insufficient rely upon the Myanmar government.
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed the repatriation package on November 23, 2017.
On January 16, 2018, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a file on “Physical Arrangement”, which was likely to facilitate the go back of Rohingyas to their homeland.
Bangladesh thinks Rohingyas will "jeopardise regional and worldwide security" if the 1.1 million Rohingya people are left unattended rather than given the possibility to go back to their homeland.
