Bangladesh dismayed, disheartened by Bhashan Char ‘misinformation’

A general view of the housing complex of Bhashan Char island where Rohingya refugees are being relocated is pictured in Noakhali on December 29, 2020.- AFP photo

Bangladesh Desk: Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday it was dismayed and disheartened seeing the generation of distorted and misinformation surrounding Bhashan Char and the Rohingya relocation process.

The government relocated 1,642 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char on December 4 and completed the relocation of second batch, comprising 1804 Rohingyas, on December 29, defying the criticisms from rights groups.

‘It is also disheartening that instead of appreciating the good intention of Bangladesh, some quarters have resorted to orchestrating misinformation to create confusion among the international community,’ the ministry said in the statement.

The ministry iterated that the relocation was necessary to decongest and de-risk the camps in Cox’s Bazar and insisted that it ‘strictly followed the principle of voluntariness and was conducted with utmost transparency.’

‘There was no question of the use of force, intimidation or the use of money to influence the decision of the participants,’ said the ministry, adding that the Rohingyas, who were relocated, decided to be shifted to the island voluntarily.

‘In fact, initially the authority arranged for the relocation of a lesser number of Rohingyas. However, due to increased interest and enthusiasm, eventually more Rohingyas volunteered and participated in the relocation process willingly,’ said statement.

The government response came after international rights group Amnesty International in a statement Monday highlighted the allegations of refugees being offered cash incentives for relocation and accused the Bangladesh authorities of using of intimidation tactics.

The foreign ministry said that the relocation took place in the presence of representatives of media, civil society and NGOs.

‘None of them raised any question of coercion or use of force. Rather, when interviewed, the Rohingyas informed that they were encouraged by the positive reports on Bhashan Char that were shared with them by their relatives who were already in the island,’ said the statement.