Where is Bhashan Char Island?

Around 1,778 more Rohingyas have been relocated to the Bhashan Char Island from the camps in Cox’s Bazar in the third phase of relocation.

Key Points

• This relocation is being done under the plan of the government to construct 1440 buildings to relocate 100,000 Rohingya refugees from the Cox’s Bazar camps to Bhashan Char Island.
• The 1440 buildings will also include 120 cyclone shelters.
• It was first suggested in the year June 2015. The plan was opposed by the United Nations Refugee Agency.
• Human Rights Watch also called it a disaster.
• Since December 2020, around 4000 Rohingya had already reached Bhashan Char Island.

Background

Even after opposition to the plan, the Bangladesh government expanded the Ashrayan Project to build 100,000 homes. Despite opposition, the relocation of the Rohingyas started in December 2020. In Phase 1 and 2, around 4,000 Rohingyas were relocated.

Bhashan Char

Bhashan Char Island, also called Char Piya was formed due to the Himalayan split in the year 2006. It is located in Bangladesh’s Hatiya Upazila. The island is situated in the Bay of Bengal around 6Km from Sandwip Island and 60km from the mainland. It has an area of 40 km square.