Amsterdam, 31 Jan 2017: The European Rohingya Council (ERC) is deeply shocked and concerned over Bangladesh government’s inhumane and irresponsible proposal to relocate Rohingya refugees forcefully to Thengar Char Island. According to the news reported by BBC on 30 January, Bangladesh government is planning to relocate Rohingya refugees to a remoteisland called Thengar Char before they have been repatriated to Myanmar.
The island located in the Bay of Bengal is vulnerable to flood, and is not suitable to human inhabitants. The low-lying island, which is nine hours’ journey from the refugee camps, is surrounded by high water and has no access by roads. The island even doesn’t appear in the maps. The impossibility to inhabit in the island is best describe by the official who told AFP news agency as, “The island is only accessible during winter and is a haven for pirates. It completely inundates during the monsoon. It’s terrible idea to send someone to live there.”
http://www.theerc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PressRelease.pdf