Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the level of investment necessary for (a) the provision of clean water and sanitation and (b) flood protection to make the island of Bhasan Char habitable by Rohingya refugees.

We have made clear to the Government of Bangladesh that any relocation of refugees to Bhasan Char island must be safe, dignified and in accordance with international humanitarian principles. We fully support the UN’s position on relocations to Bhasan Char, which asks the Government of Bangladesh to allow detailed technical and protection assessments to be conducted of the island. The UN are examining the potential requirements, time frames and costs involved in setting up a humanitarian response on Bhasan Char.