The island, where Bangladesh authorities plan to shift
Rohingya refugees, is not yet considered fit for human habitation.
It takes two hours to reach Thengar Char, an island in
the Bay Bengal, by boat from the nearest human habitation in the coastal
district of Noakhali.
It's a desolate landscape without any human settlements
and does not even have a mobile-phone reception.
Also read: Hasina seeks global
help to relocate Rohingyas http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/02/18/pms-meeting-with-merkel-global-support-to-relocate-rohingya-refugees-sought
The Bangladesh Forest Department, however, says it can be
readied for habitation within a short time through human effort.
The 5,000-acre island was declared a reserved forest in
2013. The only way to reach there is by boat.
It takes two hours by a trawler to reach the island from
the nearest human inhabitation at Noakhali's Hatia Island, which is at least 18
kilometers away.
Almost half a million Rohingya refugees, including the newly arrived 69,000, are living mainly in Cox’s Bazar in two registered camps and makeshift settlements after fleeing persecution and communal violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State.
Bangladesh officials claim many of these Muslim Rohingyas
are involved in criminal activities.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said recently that human
trafficking and narcotics smuggling networks have emerged in Cox's Bazar region
due to the "vulnerable nature" of the refugees.
He said the relocation would help refugees, including
undocumented Myanmar nationals, “to have better access to the humanitarian
assistance.”
The government also sees the refugees as a problem for
developing the Cox's Bazar and St Martin's Island as a tourism hub.
Now Dhaka plans to move them to the uninhabited Thengar
Char Island in Noakhali, about 250 km northwest of the border camps in Cox's
Bazar.
More on this story
Drop Rohingya relocation plan: HRW: http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/02/10/hrw-asks-bangladesh-to-drop-rohingya-relocation-plan
Foreign diplomats back plan to shift Rohingyas; http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/02/05/foreign-diplomats-back-bangladesh-s-plan-to-relocate-myanmar-rohingyas-to-thengar-char
'Floods, pirates haunt Rohingya island': http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/02/03/bangladesh-island-chosen-for-rohingya-refugees-uninhabited-flooded-reuters
Among the communications between government departments,
a report by a Noakhali-based forest department officer, which was sent to his
superiors, describe the island 'yet to be suitable for human inhabitation.'
In his report, Jamal Uddin Bhuiyan, in charge of the
Nalchira Range of Noakhali Coastal Forest, cited four factors --
non-availability of drinking water sources, regular inundation due to high and
low tides, poor soil condition and natural calamities -- as major obstacles for
human inhabitation.
Noakahli's Divisional Forest Officer Amir Hossain
Chowdhury said they have sent their opinion on relocating Rohingya refugees to
their headquarters on the first week of February.
"There's no human inhabitation in the island. The
major problems are natural calamities, like storms and cyclones, high tide,
lack of embankments, proper establishments and drinking water. These issues
need to be addressed immediately," he told bdnews24.com.
It will take 15-20 years for the island to be habitable,
but that can be expedited through artificial means, added Chowdhury.
The Chief Conservator of Forests says they are ready to
take all measures to make the island habitable if the government goes ahead
with its plans for relocation.
“It will be necessary to ensure safe drinking water,
build protective embankments and infrastructure, and ensure security. We are
prepared to support the project,” top forest department official Mohammad
Safiul Alam Chowdhury told bdnews24.com on Friday.
He, however, could not confirm his office receiving the
report sent by the Noakhali Coastal Forest Department.
The government has already tasked the army to set up new
camps for Rohingyas in the island, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar
Alam has said.
The report by Nalchira Ranger Bhuiyan provides details on
Thengar Char's situation and recommended Hatia Island’s Ghashiar Char as an
alternative.
But his superior, Divisional Forest Officer Amir Hossain
says it's not a realistic option.
“We had proposed Ghashiar Char as an alternative, but
dropped it later,” he told bdnews24.com. “Because it's too close to the human
inhabitation and the same problems in Cox's Bazar would persist.”
The forest department now believes Thengar Char is
suitable.
“Thengar Char is quite remote,” said Amir Hossain. “Once
the project is complete Rohingyas will be fairly isolated and unable to engage
in criminal activities.”