Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his commitment to the swift repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar.
On Friday, the interim prime minister joined an Iftar gathering with Rohingya refugees at Camp No. 20 in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya, addressing them in the Chattogram regional dialect, which they easily understood.
Yunus shared his ongoing efforts to facilitate their return and sought their prayers for the cause.
He stated, “May we pray to Allah that by next Eid, you can celebrate in your own homes in Myanmar.”
The chief advisor assured the refugees that he would press UN Secretary-General António Guterres to take immediate steps toward their repatriation.
YUNUS AND GUTERRES DISCUSS REPATRIATION
Yunus arrived in Cox’s Bazar on Friday afternoon alongside Guterres, who is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, via a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
With over a million Rohingya refugees residing in the camps, efforts for their return have been ongoing for years.
The chief advisor emphasized the assets the Rohingya people have in Myanmar.
“You’ve told us that you have land and property there, and you don’t want to remain a burden here.”
“Please stand on your feet as quickly as possible and show the world that you can return home.”
Yunus also commended the UN secretary-general for prioritizing the Rohingya issue despite his busy schedule.
“He has taken this matter seriously and has personally come for Iftar to understand your suffering and help resolve it. We sincerely thank him.”
“I am very happy to meet all of you today. I will also remind the UN secretary-general to ensure the repatriation process moves forward swiftly,” Yunus concluded.
UN CHIEF STRESSES REPATRIATION
At the gathering, Guterres underscored that repatriation is the only viable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Expressing concern over reduced international aid for the refugees, he warned:
“That would be an unmitigated disaster that we cannot accept, as it would lead to suffering and even loss of lives.”
“My voice will not fade until the international community understands their obligation to invest now in supporting the Rohingya refugees here in Bangladesh and ensuring that those who have already endured so much receive the care they need,” he added.
Following Iftar, Yunus and Guterres traveled back to Cox’s Bazar Airport by road before flying to Dhaka at 8 PM on a special Biman flight.
