Bhasan Char

Bhasan Char
Char Bhasani
Native name:
ভাসানচর
Bhasan Char is located in Bangladesh
Bhasan Char
Bhasan Char
Geography
LocationBay of Bengal
Coordinates22°22′30″N 91°23′33″E / 22.37500°N 91.39250°E / 22.37500; 91.39250
Area25 sq mi (65 km2)
Administration
DivisionChittagong Division
DistrictChittagong District
UpazilaSandwip Upazila
Demographics
Population35,629 (September 2024)
Ethnic groupsRohingya (majority)[1]
Additional information
Time zone

Bhasan Char (Bengali: ভাসান চর), also known as Char Bhasani (Bengali: চর ভাসানী), is an island in Sandwip Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh.[2] Historically administered under Hatiya Upazila of Noakhali District, the island was officially declared part of Sandwip Upazila in 17 January 2026 following the resolution of a long-standing boundary dispute.[2]Nayamasti Union of Sandwip Upazila was gradually lost due to severe river erosion. Large areas of the union were washed away by the strong currents of the Meghna River, and the eroded soil and sediment were later deposited downstream. Over time, this deposited material accumulated in the estuarine zone and eventually formed a new char, which is now known as Bhasan Char.

Until 2019[3] it was known as Thengar Char.[4][5] It is located in the Bay of Bengal, about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Sandwip island and 37 miles (60 km) from the mainland.[6]


Etymology

A char is an island formed by the continuous shifting of a river.[7]

History

The island was formed by Himalayan silt in the Bay of Bengal. While earlier reports suggested it surfaced in 2006,[4] local residents and Forest Department records indicate that land began re-emerging in the 1990s, shortly after the Nayamasti Union of Sandwip completely disappeared into the sea due to erosion in 1992.[8] It spans 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi; 4,000 ha).[9]

Administrative dispute and resolution

For several years, the island was the subject of a boundary dispute between the residents of Sandwip Upazila (Chittagong District) and Hatiya Upazila (Noakhali District). In 2017, the government issued a gazette placing the island under Hatiya, followed by another notification in 2021 establishing a "Bhasan Char Police Station" under Noakhali jurisdiction.[8] These decisions sparked protests from the residents of Sandwip, who claimed the land was the re-emerged territory of their lost Nayamasti Union.

In January 2026, the Ministry of Land officially resolved the dispute by declaring that the six mouzas of Bhasan Char belong to Sandwip.[8] This decision was based on a report by a technical committee formed by the Chittagong Divisional Commissioner, which analyzed on-spot inspections, historical documents, and satellite images to confirm the island's geographical and historical link to Sandwip.[8]

Rohingya relocation

In 2015, the government of Bangladesh planned to construct a total of 1,440 buildings, including 120 cyclone shelters, to relocate 100,000 Rohingya refugees from the mainland camps of Cox's Bazar.[10][11] The proposal was characterized by the United Nations Refugee Agency as "logistically challenging".[11] On January 26, 2017, the Bangladeshi government ordered their resettlement nonetheless.[4][5][6] Human Rights Watch called it "a human rights and humanitarian disaster in the making".[4]

In August 2019 the government announced an expansion of the Ashrayan Project (Ashrayan-3) to build 100,000 homes, despite opposition from Rohingya leaders and human rights groups.[12][13][3][14][15]

A United Nations delegation visited the island for the first time in March 2021. The UN Refugee Agency has signed a memorandum in helping the refugees here.[16] The Rohingya were permitted work and contribute to the economy,[14] but may not move off the island.[16] In principle, the island was seen as a temporary solution until the refugees could return home.[14] Until May 2022, the government has relocated approximately 28,000 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char.[17]

Population

As of 30 September 2024, 35,629 people, including 8,477 families live in the island.[18]

Geography

Bhasan Char lies to the immediate southwest of Sandwip. It is a low-lying island formed from silt deposits, and is only accessible by boat and helicopter. As the island’s coastline is constantly shifting due to its newness and its position in the Ganges Delta, the refugee camp is protected by a system of levees. It is vulnerable to the area’s frequent tropical cyclones.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bhasan Char Population (UNHCR), 2024" (PDF). UNHCR.
  2. ^ a b "Bhasan Char is Sandwip's, not Hatiya's, says Land Ministry". The Daily Star. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Bhasan Char project cost to rise 34%". The Business Standard. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  4. ^ a b c d Kullab, Samya (February 23, 2017). "The Trouble With Thengar Char". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Rahman, Shaikh Azizur (February 2, 2017). "Plan to move Rohingya to remote island prompts fears of human catastrophe". The Guardian. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Pokhare, Sugam; Westcott, Ben (January 31, 2017). "Thousands of Rohingya refugees may be sent to remote island". CNN. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  7. ^ Shamsuddoha, Md.; Hossain, M. Shahadat; Shahjahan, Mohammad (2014). "Land availability for climate-displaced communities in Bangladesh". In Leckie, Scott (ed.). Land Solutions for Climate Displacement. Routledge. pp. 138–140. ISBN 978-0-203-76251-6. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d "Bitorker Obosan, Bhasan Char Sandwiper Ongsho (End of controversy, Bhasan Char part of Sandwip)". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 17 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  9. ^ "UN rapporteur visits Bangladeshi island chosen for Rohingya relocation". efe.com. January 24, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  10. ^ "A remote home for the Rohingya". Reuters. Retrieved Dec 5, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "UN concern at Bangladesh plan to move thousands of Rohingya to flooded island". The Guardian. June 14, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  12. ^ Khokon, Sahidul Hasan. "Bangladesh: Govt takes up Ashrayan-3 project to shelter Rohingya refugees". India Today. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Inside the Bhashan Char plan for Rohingyas". Dhaka Tribune. January 29, 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  14. ^ a b c "Bangladesh sends third group of Rohingya refugees to island". Al Jazeera English. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Will thousands of Rohingya refugees be sent to a remote island?". Los Angeles Times. January 23, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "UN team visits remote Bangladesh island where Rohingya relocated". Al Jazeera English. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  17. ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "UNHCR's Grandi urges redoubled support for Rohingya refugees, host communities in Bangladesh". UNHCR. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  18. ^ "Bhasan Char Population Factsheet" (PDF). ReliefWeb. UNHCR. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  19. ^ ""An Island Jail in the Middle of the Sea"". Human Rights Watch. 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thengar_Char