News:The Bangladesh Government has planned to accommodate 100,000 Rohingya refugees in its Bhasan Char Island.
Facts:
About Bhashan Char Island:
- The Bhashan Char is an uninhabited island around 30 kilometre east of Hatiya island in the South East Bangladesh.
- The Island was formed with Himalayan silt in 2006 on the mouth of river Meghna.
- The Island falls in an ecologically fragile area prone to floods, erosion and cyclone.The island remains under water between June and September due to monsoon rains.
- However,the Bangladesh government has built a three metre high embankment along its perimeter to keep out tidal surges during cyclones.
Additional information:
About Rohingya:
- Rohingya are an ethnic group largely comprising Muslims who predominantly live in the Western Myanmar province of Rakhine.
- In Myanmar, they are they are classified as resident foreigners or as associate citizens.
- Lakhs of Rohingyas have fled to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and India after facing religious and ethnical persecution in Myanmar. This has led to a historic migration crisis and a large humanitarian crisis.
