A Rohingya refugee carries another as they prepare to be relocated to the island of Bhasan Char, in Chattogram, Bangladesh (Azim Aunon/AP)Authorities in Bangladesh have sent a third group of Rohingya refugees to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal despite calls by human rights groups for a halt to the process. The government insists the relocation plan is meant to offer better living conditions while attempts to repatriate more than 1 million refugees to Myanmar would continue. While human rights groups criticised the move, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly said the refugees were moving to the island voluntarily under government management. But the government said the human rights groups and the UN should understand its good intentions. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have urged the government to cancel the plan.

Source: Irish Independent January 29, 2021 05:46 UTC