Noor Sadek and his staff were busy preparing and selling paratha and dal in his makeshift shop at Bhasan Char. Outside the shop, people were standing in line to buy breakfast.

“I sell only breakfast every day. Sales are around Tk 2,000-3,000,” said a smiling Sadek, a Rohingya refugee.

He had the same business in Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar. He set up this shop two days after arriving on the island on December 4.

The main difference he finds here is that the area is not congested and no one demands extortion money. “I am happy with this. The more people will come to Bhasan Char, the more I will be able to sell,” he said.

Like Sadek’s, around 100 makeshift shops were established inside the Bhasan Char housing area. From food to cosmetics, many household goods are now available in these shops as the island slowly comes to life with thousands of Rohingyas settling there.

ALSO READ THIS: ROHINGYA NEED THE WORLD’S ATTENTION

The first group of Rohingyas arrived at Bhasan Char on December 4 last year amid concerns from international rights groups. The United Nations and other development partners had demanded independent assessments of the Tk 3,100-crore housing project by the Bangladesh Navy before relocation began.

However, there has been no visit of a UN team to the island yet. The UN and rights groups have been questioning the relocation plan, saying the island is prone to floods and could be submerged during high tides.

Meanwhile, the second group of Rohingyas arrived on December 29.

On being shown pictures and videos of the facilities, over 10,000 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar have already registered their names with the Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s office to move to Bhasan Char.

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