Bangladesh Relocates 1,600 Rohingya Refugees to Remote Island Despite Rights Concerns

Bangladesh Relocates 1,600 Rohingya Refugees to Remote Island Despite Rights Concerns
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Bangladesh relocated around 1,600 Rohingya refugees on Friday to the remote island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal, a move the government says aims to ease overcrowding in Cox’s Bazar camps that host over one million refugees. The Foreign Ministry said the relocation was entirely voluntary and that the island offers improved facilities and infrastructure, with plans to move up to 100,000 people.

However, aid workers and refugees claimed some were coerced into leaving for the flood-prone island, which emerged from the sea only two decades ago. The UN refugee agency urged Dhaka to ensure that all transfers remain voluntary and reiterated its readiness to assess living conditions on the island. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Fortify Rights, warned against relocation without addressing humanitarian and safety concerns. The Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 amid a military crackdown.