United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is set to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday (13 March) for an extensive three-day visit, featuring diplomatic engagements and a field trip to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain will receive Guterres upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 5pm via an Emirates flight, according to officials familiar with the itinerary.
On Friday morning, Guterres will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at his office.
He will also hold discussions with Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain and High Representative on Rohingya Issues and Priority Matters Dr Khalilur Rahman at a city hotel.
Following these meetings, Guterres and Prof Yunus will travel to Cox’s Bazar to visit the Rohingya refugee camps.
Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam Bir Protik will welcome them upon their arrival at Cox’s Bazar International Airport at approximately 12pm.
At the refugee camps, Guterres will receive a comprehensive briefing from officials, including the UN Resident Coordinator, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), and representatives from the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), IOM, and UNHCR.
The session will provide an overview of the camps and the situation along the Myanmar border.
Additionally, the World Bank will present a briefing on the role of international financial institutions in strengthening infrastructure and human capital investment among refugees.
Discussions will cover disaster mitigation strategies and integrated approaches to service delivery.
According to Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, an estimated one lakh Rohingya refugees are expected to join Guterres and Prof Yunus for Iftar, highlighting Bangladesh’s humanitarian commitment to sheltering nearly one million Rohingya refugees who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar.
The delegation is expected to return to Dhaka at approximately 8:40pm on Friday.
On Saturday, Guterres will visit the new UN common premises and attend a photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s engagement with the UN.
He is expected to be accompanied by Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin.
Further engagements include a meeting with the UN Country Team and a roundtable discussion on institutional reforms.
He will also participate in a separate dialogue with youth representatives and a civil society forum, moderated by Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
Before concluding his visit, Guterres is likely to address the media alongside Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain.
Later, the chief adviser will host an Iftar and early dinner in his honour.
Guterres is scheduled to depart Dhaka on Sunday (16 March) morning, with High Representative Khalilur Rahman seeing him off at the airport.