The government's plan to relocate Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char may not be implemented before the end of the upcoming monsoon.
Earlier, the government took a move to start the relocation to the island under Noakhali district near the country's southeast coast in last October.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was scheduled to inaugurate the Bhasan Char project, implemented to house over 0.1 million Rohingya refugees. But later, the inauguration was cancelled.
It is learnt that the relocation was deferred due to strong opposition of the development partners, engaged in providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya refugees living in Cox's Bazar.
They opposed the plan saying that the island itself is vulnerable to natural disasters, like cyclone.
"They also have reservation in relocating the refugees to Bhasan Char, as it is far away from the mainland. So, communication between Cox's Bazar and the island will be very tough," Md Abdul Kalam, Chairman of Refugee Rehabilitation and Repatriation Commission (RRRC), told the FE on Thursday.
Over 0.7 million refugees fled their native homes in Rakhine State in the wake of a brutal crackdown by Myanmar security forces since August 25, 2017.
According to the latest plan, the vulnerability of Bhashan Char to natural calamities, like cyclone, will be examined during the upcoming monsoon.
The planned relocation may start after the monsoon, if it is found that the island is safe during the monsoon, said high officials in Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Commenting on the issue, Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen said Rohingya relocation to Bhasan Char will take place after scrutinising all aspects.
"We will take representatives of our development partners there before the relocation. We will not do anything that will harm the refugees," he added.
The government has implemented a Tk 23-billion project to build housing facility in Bhasan Char for the Rohingyas. In total, 1,440 makeshift houses have been built in the island, cordoned by high dam.
Primarily 25,000 Rohingya families will be relocated to the island in phases by ships, the RRRC chairman said.
