More than 1,600 Rohingya head for remote Bangladesh island, navy official says – Times of India

DHAKA: More than 1,600

Rohingya refugees

sailed on Friday from Bangladesh’s southern port of

Chittagong

for the remote island of

Bhasan Char

in the Bay of Bengal, a naval official said.

The south Asian nation says moving the refugees will ease chronic overcrowding in camps that are home to more than 1 million Rohingya, members of a Muslim minority who have fled neighbouring

Myanmar

.

But refugees and humanitarian workers say have some of the Rohingya had been co-erced, despite government assertions that none would be forced to go.

The naval official said the Rohingya were aboard seven boats, with two more carrying supplies.