UN recognises enormous investment in Bhasan Char

UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo yesterday said the UN and its all the agencies recognise the Bangladesh government's enormous investment in building 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.

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 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 majority of them entered the country since August 25, 2017 amid military crackdowns against them.

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 decided to relocate, 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char in phases.

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

The Bangladesh government invested more than $350 million in developing the 13,000-acre island with all modern amenities and enhanced facilities, said the foreign ministry.

The facilities include uninterrupted supply of electricity and water, agricultural plots, cyclone shelters, two hospitals, four community clinics, mosques, warehouses, telecommunication services, police station, recreation and learning centres, and playgrounds.