"An Island Jail in the Middle of the Sea"

Book excerpt: "The 58-page report ... finds that Bangladesh authorities transferred many refugees to [Bhasan Char] island without full, informed consent and have prevented them from returning to the mainland. While the government says it wants to move at least 100,000 people to the silt island in the Bay of Bengal to ease overcrowding in Cox's Bazar refugee camps, humanitarian experts have raised concerns that insufficient measures are in place to protect against severe cyclones and tidal surges. Refugees on the island reported inadequate health care and education, onerous movement restrictions, food shortages, a lack of livelihood opportunities, and abuses by security forces."--Publisher website.