Thirteen buses carrying about 600 Rohingyas willing to leave the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar have left for Bhasanchar in Noakhali in the second phase.
The Rohingyas left Ukhia Degree College ground for Bhasanchar around 12:15 pm on Monday.
Earlier, the concerned people took them by bus from different camps and completed the temporary point activities at the Ukhia Degree College ground. Some more buses are scheduled to travel with Rohingya in the afternoon.
Earlier, on December 4, 1,642 Rohingyas reached Bhasanchar, an island in the Bay of Bengal, in the first phase of relocation from the Cox's Bazar refugee camp. The day before, these Rohingyas who were interested in going to Bhasanchar were brought in vehicles from different camps in Cox's Bazar and kept in the transit camp of Shahin School in Chittagong. They will be taken that way again.
When contacted, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rezwan Hayat declined to comment. However, another official, who did not want to be named, said 13 buses carrying Rohingyas had left for Bhasanchar for the second time. However, it is not clear how many men and women there are. But as of 1 p.m., there are about 600 people in 13 buses.
In this regard, a representative of the Commissioner for Refugee Relief and Repatriation and an official of the Teknaf Shamlapur Rohingya Camp (CIC) Nowsher Ibn Halim said that 100 Rohingyas have voluntarily left the camp for Bhasanchar. In the morning they left the camp for Ukhia. Earlier, 21 families had reached Bhasanchar from this camp.
Noakhali Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khorshed Alam Khan said the second batch of Rohingyas would reach Bhasanchar from Cox's Bazar on Tuesday. Bhasanchar Island belongs to Hatia upazila of Noakhali. DC Khorshed Alam Khan said, "I have prepared for the voluntary transfer of 700 Rohingyas to Bhasanchar.
In the morning, it was seen on the spot in the Teknaf Shamlapur Rohingya refugee camp, the bus in the camp from 8 am on Monday was actually picked up by the government officials after the process at the CIC office. At this time their relatives crowded to see. Earlier, many of their relatives also reached Bhasanchar in the first phase. After completing the process at Ukhia transit point and non-temporary transit terminal of the college by bus, he left for Bhasanchar. About 100 people left the camp for Bhasanchar.
Md. Teknaf Shalapur while traveling to Bhasachar with his family. Jahed Hossain said, no one forced us. By our own will we are moving the whole family to Bhasanchar. Moreover, those who are in Bhasanchar said that they are much better. So we are traveling there in the hope of a better life.
Abul Kalam, head of the Shamlapur Rohingya camp in Teknaf, said 100 Rohingyas from 25 families from his camp had voluntarily left for Ukhia for Bhasanchar. He will be taken to Chittagong from there on Monday. The stars are scheduled to reach Bhasanchar on Tuesday morning.
