(30 Jan 2021) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4308602
Authorities in Bangladesh sent a fourth group of Rohingya refugees to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday despite calls by human rights groups for a halt to the process.
A total of 1,466 refugees were sent to Bhasan Char, an island developed for accommodating 100,000 Rohingya Muslims from overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar district.
Authorities say the refugees were selected for relocation based on their willingness, and that no pressure was applied.
But several human rights and activist groups say some refugees have been forced to go to the island, located 21 miles) from the mainland.
The island's facilities are designed to accommodate just a fraction of one million Rohingya Muslims who fled waves of violent persecution in their native Myanmar.
International aid agencies have opposed the relocation since it was first proposed in 2015, expressing fear that a big storm could overwhelm the island and endanger thousands of lives.
But two refugees on Saturday were positive about the relocation, saying they moved at their own will and that Bhasan Char represented an opportunity for a new life.
The United Nations has also voiced concerns as to whether refugees have been allowed to make a "free and informed decision" on their relocation.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have urged the government to cancel the plan.
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