Foreign envoys visit Bhasan Char

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America on Saturday visited Bhasan Char to see the facilities in place for the Rohingyas.

The envoys stationed in Dhaka were invited to participate in a government-led visit to Bhasan Char.

This visit by resident diplomatic envoys followed the UN team’s first visit to Bhasan Char that took place from 17 – 20 March.

The diplomats had an opportunity to see some of the facilities and services on the island.

They met with relocated Rohingyas, authorities, and others living and working there.

There might be a joint media release to be issued on Sunday or Monday based on what the diplomats have seen, a diplomatic source told UNB.

The diplomats returned Dhaka after 5pm.

The COVID-19 health guidelines set of the Government of Bangladesh were followed during the visit.

The envoys look forward to continuing the dialogue with the Government of Bangladesh on its Bhasan Char project, as well as with the UN and other relevant partners following the visit.

They think further conversations are needed, especially between the Government of Bangladesh and UN to discuss the policy and technical issues in detail.

The government has planned to relocate 1 lakh Rohingyas to Bhasan Char to decongest the overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar that have temporarily been accommodating nearly a million of Rohingyas with many more thousands born each year.

The government said the deteriorating security situation due to prolonged stay of these frustrated people in Cox’s Bazar also compelled the government of Bangladesh to come up with a contingency plan and develop Bhashan Char from its own budgetary allocation.

Accordingly, the government invested more than $350 million to develop the island.