‘Bangladesh, Turkey show real leadership dealing refugees’

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan has said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated true leadership by allowing shelter to over 700 thousand Rohingyas with a decent living condition.

Ambassador Turan, who visited Rohingya camps twice, laid emphasis on collaboration with the international community and donor agencies as the expenditure behind Rohingyas is huge, no matter where they are living. “We would like to see better collaboration and it’ll be much easier to help the Rohingyas.”

“It’s the right of the government of Bangladesh to decide where it’ll host Rohingyas,” Ambassador Turan told UNB in an interview at his office recognising that Bangladesh has invested significantly making Bhasan Char habitable.

A thorough technical assessment by the UN on Bhashan Char is needed to figure out additional costs and challenges in running operations in two separate places efficiently, he added.

The government of Bangladesh invested more than US$ 350 million to develop the island. The 13,000-acre island, the government says, has all modern amenities, year-round fresh water, beautiful lake and proper infrastructure and enhanced facilities.

The Turkish Ambassador, however, said the relocation of Rohingyas should be made voluntary one and that the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement from December 4th highlights this aspect.

In the face of growing concerns over the extreme congestion in Cox’s Bazar camps and to avert any risk of death due to landslides and other unwarranted incidents, the government of Bangladesh has decided to relocate, in phases, 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char.

Accordingly, in the first phase, more than 1,600 Rohingyas who expressed their willingness voluntarily for relocation were shifted to Bhashan Char on December 4.