‘Going for peace’, says Rohingya elderly woman on way to Bhasan Char

"We will find peace, comfort and nice housing in Bhasan Char," said sixty-year-old Mahmuda Khatun this morning, ahead of her journey to the island where Rohingya refugees are being relocated to from Cox's Bazar.

"There will not be sufferings and struggles," said Mahmuda, who fled to Bangladesh in 2017 from Myanmar, adding that she is moving to the newly built accomodations on her own will.

The Rohingya woman is going to the island under Hatiya upazila of Noakhali along with 10 family members, including her son and daughter-in-law.

"We had to live under tarpaulin in the camps in Cox's Bazar in too much heat and among too many people. We couldn't bathe and suffered very much," she said.

On the other hand, she said, "Bhasan Char has building to live in and other facilities, we will find comfort and peace there. That's why I am going there on my own will."

"There was unrest in the camps and too many fights used to take place," she said, adding that's why she is moving to Bhasan Char on her own will.

Like Mahmuda, other refugees said that they have chosen to move to Bhasan Char for the sake of safety and comfort.

The pictures and videos of Bhasan Char made them feel the place will ensure safety, a few Rohingya refugees said, while others commented that they were moving to live in comfort.

In the Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps, there was plenty of infighting and little to no scope for work or proper education, they said, adding that they believe they will get better chances at safety, education and work at Bhasan Char.

They also claimed that their decision to move was not as a result of any pressure from the authorities.