UN recognises huge investment in Bhasan Char: Resident coordinator

UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo on Saturday said the UN and other related agencies recognise the enormous investment that the government of Bangladesh has made in preparing Bhasan Char for Rohingya relocation.

"We recognise the enormous investment...that's obviously a sign of the search for solutions in managing the situation," she told reporters after attending a programme marking the International Volunteer Day, reports UNB.

The government invested more than US$ 350.00 million to develop the 13,000-acre island with all modern amenities, year-round freshwater, beautiful lake and proper infrastructure and enhanced facilities, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

These include an uninterrupted supply of electricity and water, agricultural plots, cyclone shelters, two hospitals, four community clinics, mosques, warehouses, telecommunication services, police station, recreation and learning centers, playgrounds, etc.

The UNRC said the ultimate solution to the Rohingya crisis, of course, lies in Myanmar and it is Myanmar's responsibility to create conducive conditions for the return of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine State.

She said all the UN agencies recognise the generosity of Bangladesh in hosting Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar. "That's a difficult situation."

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar, and the majority of them entered Bangladesh since August 25, 2017, amid military crackdowns against Rohingyas by the Myanmar security forces.

In the face of growing concerns over the extreme congestion in the camps of Cox’s Bazar and to avert any risk of death due to landslides and other unwarranted incidents, the government has decided to relocate, in phases, 1,00,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char.

Accordingly, in the first phase, more than 1,600 Rohingyas, who expressed their willingness for relocation, were shifted to Bhashan Char on Friday afternoon.