The government has earmarked Tk 414 crore in the Annual Development Programme of the upcoming budget for shifting one lakh Rohingyas to Bhashan Char in Noakhali. 

The government has planned programmes so that the Rohingyas, once shifted there, can start economic activity, including rearing of buffalos, ducks and fish farming; cottage industries and shops, finance ministry officials said. 

Apart from this, police camp and fire brigade offices will be set up there. Offices for the UN and other aid agencies will also be set up for carrying out humanitarian activities.

To make Bhashan Char habitable for Rohingyas, the government last year took a Tk 2,312 crore project which will be implemented by Bangladesh Navy.

In the current fiscal year Tk 1,898 crore has been allocated in the project.

Finance minister AMA Muhith yesterday told reporters at his secretariat office that more than Tk 400 crore has been allocated -- indicating the Bhashan Char project.

In the next fiscal year, the government expects a major grant from the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- to be spent for the Rohingays.

A finance ministry official said, in the next fiscal year, other ministries including health, relief and disaster management, will continue to spend from their own budget. In the current fiscal year, the ministries have spent around Tk 70 crore.

WB and ADB have already indicated provision of grant of around $700 million for Rohingyas which will be aligned with the government expenditure.

A WB mission last month visited Dhaka for the second time and submitted a report to the government. 

The finance ministry official said the WB will take their next steps, considering the programmes the government takes for the Rohingyas.

In the same way an ADB mission will come to Bangladesh next week to see how and where they can give assistance for the Rohingyas.

Last month, a meeting was held with Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Nojibur Rahman in the chair. In the meeting, it was decided to form a joint consultative working group with the representatives of the UN agencies for shifting the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char island.

The UN agencies mentioned a number of risks in relocating the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char and on the basis of the assessment, the decision to form the Joint Consultative Working Group (JCWG) was taken, an official of relief, rehabilitation and disaster management ministry said.