UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called upon the international community to intensify humanitarian assistance for the displaced Rohingya population.
“Every Ramadan, I spend time with Muslim communities facing hardship to observe the fast with them and highlight their struggles. This year, I am in Bangladesh to stand in solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and the generous Bangladeshi communities hosting them,” Guterres stated regarding his visit to Bangladesh.
Guterres will also partake in an Iftar meal with the refugees, hosted by Chief Adviser Yunus, as an expression of solidarity on Friday (14 March).
Earlier on Friday morning, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain and High Representative on Rohingya Issues and Priority Matters Dr Khalilur Rahman met with Guterres at Hotel InterContinental to discuss the ongoing crisis.
The UN chief subsequently held a bilateral meeting with Yunus before their scheduled departure for Cox’s Bazar via a chartered Biman Bangladesh flight at 11:15am.
Guterres arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon for a packed two-day visit, encompassing high-level discussions and engagements in Cox’s Bazar before his departure on Sunday morning.
While in the Rohingya camps, he and Yunus will interact with refugees who were forcibly displaced from Myanmar and acknowledge the generosity of the Bangladeshi host communities.
On Saturday, Guterres is scheduled to meet with youth representatives and civil society members in Dhaka. He will also hold a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain in the afternoon.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam emphasised that Guterres' visit carries a message of hope for the Rohingyas, assuring them that efforts are underway to facilitate their safe and dignified return to Myanmar, with full restoration of their rights.
“We urge the Secretary-General to use his leadership to accelerate the repatriation process and ensure that international aid to the Rohingyas remains consistent,” Alam stated in response to media queries.
Regarding interactions with the Arakan Army, Alam noted that given the evolving security landscape in Rakhine State, Bangladesh remains in operational contact with actors across the border to safeguard its security and stability.
Bangladesh has been hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees for eight years, with an additional 80,000 having arrived in recent months. Alam reiterated that it is beyond the country’s capacity to continue bearing this burden alone.
“International support for the Rohingya crisis has diminished, leading to a reduction in food rations, which will severely impact their nutritional status, particularly among women and children. This situation could also have serious social and security consequences within the camps and host communities,” he warned.
Bangladesh has once again appealed to the global community and the UN system to prioritise aid for the Rohingyas and ensure that assistance does not decline.
In light of the worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Alam added that Bangladesh remains open to supporting UN-led humanitarian interventions in the region.
