United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has assured that Bangladesh can rely on the UN’s support in building a sustainable and equitable future as the country undergoes significant reforms.
Following his meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Dhaka on Friday morning (14 March), Guterres expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh for its warm reception.
“I thank Dr Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, and the people of Bangladesh for their warm welcome. As the country undergoes important reforms and transitions, you can count on the United Nations to help build a sustainable and equitable future for all,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
During the meeting, Yunus and Guterres discussed issues of mutual concern, including the Rohingya refugee crisis, which remains a pressing humanitarian challenge.
Later in the day, the two leaders are scheduled to fly together to Cox’s Bazar, where they will visit Rohingya refugee camps and attend an Iftar event with the displaced community.
Earlier in the morning, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and the Chief Adviser’s High Representative on Rohingya Issues and Priority Matters, Khalilur Rahman, held talks with the UN chief at InterContinental Dhaka.
Guterres reiterated his call for the international community to increase humanitarian aid for the Rohingya population.
“Every Ramadan, I spend time with Muslim communities living in difficult circumstances to observe the fast with them and help shine a spotlight on their plight. This year, I am in Bangladesh to express my solidarity with Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people hosting them,” he said.
Guterres arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday (13 March) for a four-day visit, during which he is set to meet government officials, civil society representatives, journalists, and other dignitaries. His visit will conclude on Sunday morning (16 March).
On Friday, Yunus and Guterres will be received at Cox’s Bazar Airport at around 12pm by Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam.
They will then proceed to a refugee camp in Ukhiya, where they will receive a panoramic briefing on the camps and the Myanmar border from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The World Bank will also provide a briefing on the role of international financial institutions in strengthening infrastructure and human capital investment among refugees.
Discussions will focus on disaster mitigation and integrated service delivery approaches.
The chief adviser is also set to visit the under-construction Cox’s Bazar International Airport and the Khurushkul Climate Refugee Centre.
Later in the evening, Yunus and Guterres will join an Iftar programme hosted by the chief adviser, where around 100,000 Rohingya refugees and members of the host community are expected to be in attendance.
The two leaders are scheduled to return to Dhaka from Cox’s Bazar at around 8:40pm.
