Bangladesh to build island for Rohingya refugees

Bangladesh has finally signed $280 million project to transform an island off its southern coast into a temporary camp for 100,000 Rohingya refugees on Tuesday.

The plan has attaracted criticism since it was first proposed in 2015 as the island is uninhabitable.

Bangladesh is overcrowded with refugees and want to move atleast 620,000 Rohingya Muslims who have crossed the border in the past three months.

The announcement comes just days after Bangladesh signed an agreement to repatriate to Myanmar the Rohingya refugees languishing in overburdened camps along its border.

"Approximately one lakh (100,000) people will be shifted there for the time being. We hope the project work will be completed by 2018" said Planning Secretary Ziaul Islam.