BSS-49 OIC expresses satisfaction over Bhashan Char facilities for Rohingyas

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BSS-49

OIC-BHASAN CHAR-ROHINGYA

OIC expresses satisfaction over Bhashan Char facilities for Rohingyas

DHAKA, Feb 28, 2021 (BSS) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed satisfaction over physical infrastructure in the Bhashan Char as well as adequate facilities provided by the Bangladesh government for Rohingyas .

The contentment was expressed today while a high level five-member OIC delegation visited Bhashan Char, an island, 37 miles off the mainland under the administrative jurisdiction of Hatiya, that was turned into a model town with all amenities to accommodate one lakh Rohingyas.

During the visit, the OIC delegation, led by its Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Youssef Aldobeay, discussed overall situation of Rohingyas residing in Bhashan Char with the relevant stakeholders, and also interacted with the Rohingyas, a foreign ministry press release said.

Aldobeay praised Bangladesh government for the continued humanitarian contribution and providing temporary shelter to the persecuted Rohingyas of Myanmar.

Expressing satisfaction over various amenities in Bhashan Char, where so far around 9000 Rohingyas were relocated from Cox’s Bazar camps, the OIC’s Assistant Secretary General also reiterated OIC’s continued support for resolving this humanitarian crisis.

Later, the delegation visited the Kutupalong Rohingya Camp in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar, and met the Rohingyas.

The delegation included Ibrahim Khairat, Special Representative of OIC Secretary General for Myanmar, El Habib Bourane, Director of Muslim Communities and Minorities, Department of Political Affairs and officials from the OIC General Secretariat.

Bangladesh Navy has implemented the Ashryan-3 at Bhashan Char at the cost of TK 3100 crore for accommodating 100,000 Rohingyas.

The move was taken after some 750,000 Rohingyas fled a military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017 and took shelter in Teknaf and Ukhia.

A total of 120 brick-built cluster villages and 120 cyclone shelters, facilities for education, hospital, farming and fishing, playground and presence of law enforcers make the island a much better living place for the Rohingyas than that of Cox’s Bazar camps.

While the UN and other international aid agencies have been reluctant about the project, citing risks of tidal surge and cyclone, the flood protection embankment around the project is now being heightened from nine feet to 19 feet while the houses are built four feet above the ground.

BSS/PR/TA/SKB/2000 hrs