First Rohingya refugees arrive at isolated Bangladesh island

Rohingya refugees board a ship as they are ferried to Bhashan Char (Saleh Noman/AP)

More than 1,500 Rohingya refugees have been sent to an isolated island by authorities in Bangladesh, despite calls by human rights groups to stop the process.

The 1,642 refugees boarded seven Bangladeshi naval vessels in the port of Chittagong for the trip to Bhashan Char, according to an official.