Halt relocation of Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char: Amnesty International

In response to the relocation of hundreds of Rohingya refugees to the Bhasan Char, a remote island in the Bay of Bengal, Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner, Saad Hammadi, has said, "The authorities should immediately halt relocation of more refugees to Bhasan Char, return those on the island to their families and community in mainland Bangladesh, and follow due process including the full and meaningful participation of refugees in any plan for their relocation."

"The relocation of so many Rohingya refugees to a remote island, which is still off limits to everyone including rights groups and journalists without prior permission, poses grave concerns about independent human rights monitoring," he was quoted in a press release from Amnesty International.

"It is crucial that the Bangladeshi authorities must let the UN, rights groups and humanitarian agencies carry out independent assessments of Bhasan Char's habitability first before taking any steps to relocate people there. No relocation plan, either to Bhasan Char or to another location, can be undertaken without the full and informed consent of the individuals involved," the statement reads.

"Some refugees already on the island have shared their anxiety with Amnesty International at being cut off from their families and community.

"Bangladesh and other members of the international community have a critical role not only in protecting the rights of the Rohingya people but also in ensuring their full and meaningful participation in decisions that affect them," it says.

Amnesty International says it obtained a partial list of the Rohingya families that the government of Bangladesh identified for relocation to Bhasan Char. In interviews with Amnesty International five family members, who represent 23 refugees on the list for relocation, said that they signed up to relocate to Bhashan Char out of compulsion rather than a choice.

In September 2020, Amnesty International released the briefing "Let Us Speak for our Rights", which outlines how exclusion from decision-making is impacting the human rights of Rohingya refugees.