NGOs urges to encourage Rohingyas to go to Bhasan Char

NGOs working for refugees must encourage Rohingya refugees to go to Bhasan Char.

Dhaka, July 16 :  Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rezwan Hayat has called on NGOs working for refugees to encourage Rohingya refugees to go to Bhasan Char.  

He made the call while visiting two Rohingya camps (Camp 21 and 22) at Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar district recently.

During his visit, he went around the Bhaban of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN).

Besides, he planted a sapling of Arabian jasmine flower in the office premises of camp-in-charge.

Shadhona Tripura, in-charge of Camp No. 21, Rahul Chanda, Assistant Secretary of RRRC’s Office in Cox’s Bazar and Executive Magistrate, and others were present during the visit of Shah Rezwan Hayat.

The RRRC exchanged views with BRAC employees at BRAC’s WASH programme office at Camp No. 21 and appreciated different activities taken up under WASH, Shelter and Education Programmes of BRAC.

Addressing the occasion, Shah Rezwan Hayat called upon officials of different NGOs, which are working for Rohingyas, to persuade the refugees, who are now sheltered at different camps in Cox’s Bazar, to go to Bhasan Char.     

Shah Rezwan Hayat said more Rohingyas in another phase would be sent to Bhasan Char in September. "The UN High Commissioner on Refugee informed me that he would formally visit Bhasan Char”.    

"We have to take effective steps so that none can capture the houses, to be vacated by Rohingyas after going to Bhasan Char. Besides, we have to be careful so that no shelter camp is built again by cutting hills, he said.  

Shah Rezwan Hayat called on all concerned to take necessary steps so that the local people (host community) can use the compost, which is made of perishable goods at the refugee camps.

Md. Afsar Ali, Project Manager of WASH Programme under Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP) of BRAC; Md. Abdus Salam, Senior Branch Manager of HCMP’s Palongkhali; and others were present on behalf of BRAC.

Tanmoy Das, Coordinator of Camp-21 of BRAC, made a brief presentation on WASH programme.

Md. Shamim Ahmed, BRAC’s Camp Assistant Technical (Shelter) Specialist, made another presentation on shelter activities, reports UNB.