- UN Secretary-General Guterres arrives in Dhaka on Thursday for an official visit.
- Meetings with Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and government officials scheduled.
- Guterres to visit Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Friday.
- A key focus will be on disaster mitigation and refugee infrastructure.
- Guterres and Yunus will join an Iftar with refugees to acknowledge Bangladesh’s hospitality.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Bangladesh on Thursday to discuss the ongoing Rohingya crisis. His visit aims to strengthen international solidarity and focus on key issues surrounding the refugee situation. During his trip, Guterres will meet senior officials and visit the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 5 p.m., Guterres will be warmly welcomed by Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md Touhid Hossain. The following morning, he will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to discuss Bangladesh’s priorities, particularly regarding the Rohingya crisis.
Visit to Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Camps
On Friday, Guterres will travel to Cox’s Bazar, where the world’s largest refugee camp is located. Since 2017, nearly one million Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar and sought shelter in Bangladesh. Through this visit, Guterres hopes to highlight the ongoing challenges the refugees continue to face.
Once they arrive in Cox’s Bazar, Guterres and Prof Yunus will be welcomed by Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam Bir Protik. Afterward, they will tour the camps, where UN officials will brief them on improvements in infrastructure, disaster mitigation, and service delivery models in the camps.
One of the visit’s most meaningful moments will be a shared Iftar meal between Guterres, Yunus, and about 100,000 refugees. This act aims to recognize Bangladesh’s generosity in hosting nearly one million refugees and promote a sense of solidarity between the refugees and their host community.
Further Engagements in Dhaka
On Saturday, Guterres will return to Dhaka for further engagements. He will first visit the newly established UN Common Premises. There, a photo exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence will be on display. Key officials, such as Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin, are expected to attend.
Later, Guterres will meet with the UN Country Team in Bangladesh. During this meeting, they will discuss the ongoing operations of UN agencies in the country. The talks will focus specifically on humanitarian aid and long-term solutions for the refugee crisis. Additionally, Guterres will participate in a roundtable discussion on UN reforms and engage in a dialogue with youth leaders.
In the afternoon, Guterres will meet with Bangladesh’s civil society. Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan will moderate the meeting. The conversation will center on the role of civil society in supporting the UN’s initiatives, especially concerning the Rohingya refugee crisis.
The day will wrap up with a joint media briefing by Guterres and Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain. Following the briefing, Chief Adviser Yunus will host an Iftar for the visiting dignitaries.
Guterres will conclude his visit to Bangladesh on Sunday morning. This visit, his second to the country, underscores the UN’s ongoing commitment to addressing the Rohingya crisis. His presence is expected to bring renewed international attention to the needs of the Rohingya people and highlight Bangladesh’s role as a host country.