U.S. voices concern about Bangladesh's plans to relocate Rohingya

The United States on Thursday said it was concerned about plans by Bangladesh to relocate 1,642 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char island and carry out further relocations, calling on Bangladesh to accept independent assessments of the move.

The United States also concurred with the United Nations in its view that any such relocations should be "fully voluntary and based on informed consent without pressure or coercion", State Department spokesman Cale Brown said in a statement.