BHASHAN CHAR ISALND

Subject: International Relations

Context:  United Nations (UN) human rights investigator had requested Bangladesh to allow a safety assessment of the remote islet of Bhashan Char, where the government had shipped 1,600-odd Rohingya refugees.

Concept:

• Bhashan Char Island was formed about two decades ago on the mouth of river Meghna.
• The uninhabited island is located around 30 kilometres east of Hatiyaisland in South-East Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh wants to move 100,000 Rohingya refugees to the muddy silt island to take the pressure off the overcrowded border camps.
• The Bhashan Char falls in an ecologically fragile area prone to floods, erosion and cyclone.
• Though the Bangladesh government has built a three-metre-high embankment along its perimeter to keep out tidal surges during cyclones.