US concerned about Bangladesh's plans to relocate 1,642 Rohingya refugees: State Dept

“The United States has long noted its appreciation for the Government of Bangladesh’s commitment to hosting the Rohingya refugees but is concerned about the relocation of 1,642 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char and plans to carry out further relocations,” Brown said.

“The United States concurs with the UN that any such relocations must be fully voluntary and based on informed consent without pressure or coercion.”

Brown underscored that Washington is urging the Bangladesh government to abide by its pledge to allow Rohingya refugees to return to camps on the mainland if they choose to do so.

The State Department official also stressed that refugees on Bhasan Char should have access to livelihoods and basic services.

“With the UN and like-minded donors, the United States has asked for Bangladesh to accept the UN’s offer of thorough and independent technical and protection assessments to determine the safety, feasibility, and desirability of relocating refugees there,” he said.

“Independent access to Bhasan Char will help to confirm whether refugees were relocated voluntarily and remain there voluntarily, and suitability of the site to withstand cyclones and seasonal flooding.”

Brown added that Washington is calling on Burma to create the appropriate conditions for Rohingya refugees’ voluntary and safe return.

“We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to continue coordinating with the international community to ensure funding for this crisis response and to work toward durable solutions in a manner that is consistent with international norms and respects the human rights of each individual,” Brown said.

The Bangladeshi government has planned to move as many as 100,000 Rohingya refugees from crowded camps to the 15 square mile island located 37 miles from the coast of the mainland.

Rights groups have previously said that relocating Rohingya refugees to the island, away from the observation of humanitarian and protection groups, may amount to arbitrary detention.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, roughly 800,000 Rohingya refugees fled fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine State to Bangladesh from August 2017 to June 2019, amid fierce clashes between government forces and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, an insurgent group that operates in Rakhine State.