Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Momen says that the relocation of Rohingyas to Bhashan Char will not take place soon before adding that it will be carried out on a voluntary basis.
“I have no idea when it can happen,” he told the media in capital Dhaka on Wednesday (Mar 27).
The government had earlier decided to move 100,000 of the nearly 1.1 million Rohingya living in camps in the southeastern district of Cox's Bazar to Bhasan Char in April, which Momen said is likely to be delayed “by conditions imposed by UN and other agencies”.
“If everybody [the international community] wants it and [Rohingyas] want it, then it will happen,” he said while speaking to reporters after an event at the foreign ministry.
The government has been developing the river island Bhasan Char.
The Tk 23 billion project aims to ease the sufferings of local residents and refugees at Cox’s Bazar which now host the world’s biggest and densely populated refugee camp.
But the international community has been raising concerns about the plan. The UNHCR recently welcomed the move but said it has to be voluntary.
“It’s a massive arrangement. We did it for their comfort. If everybody thinks it’ll be a problem. Then we’ll not send them. If everybody says they want to go voluntarily, then we’ll send them,” Momen said.

Noor Chy, Tarique extradition
Responding a query on Canadian government’s position on the extradition plea of Bangabandhu murder convict Noor Chowdhury, Momen said “We are trying for quite some time and it’s a lengthy process.”
On Monday (Mar 25), a federal court in Canada heard a petition, which seeks the deportation of Chowdhury, but left its decision pending.
After Awami League came to power in 2009, Chowdhury filed a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment application with the Canadian immigration authority saying he would face death penalty if he is sent back to Bangladesh.
Decisions on the petition has been kept pending for the last 10 years. The Canadian government has neither accepted nor rejected the application.
In June 2018, Bangladesh lodged a Writ of Mandamus with the Federal Court seeking definite decision on the matter as Bangladesh wants the Canadian authorities to come to a decision over the decade-long pending issues.
In reply to another query on BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, who faces jail term over corruption and has been in self-exile in London since 2007,, the minister said they are “trying to bring back all convicted criminals” to the country.