Bangladesh:Bhashan Char Island to house 100,000 Rohingya refugees

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.