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Published : 15 Mar 2025, 12:25 AM
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has expressed his desire for the swift repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar.
The interim prime minister attended an Iftar with the refugees at the Camp No. 20 in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya on Friday.
He spoke to them in the regional dialect of Chattogram, which was easily understood by the Rohingya refugees.
Yunus shared his efforts to help them return home and requested their prayers for the cause.
He said, “May we pray to Allah, that next Eid, you can celebrate in your own homes in Myanmar.”
The chief advisor assured the refugees that he would urge the UN Secretary-General António Guterres to take immediate action for their repatriation.
Yunus arrived in Cox’s Bazar on Friday afternoon with Guterres, who was on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, on a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
Over a million Rohingya refugees are living in the camps.
Efforts for their repatriation have been ongoing for several years.
The chief advisor highlighted 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 praised the UN secretary-general for taking on the responsibility of the repatriation despite his busy schedule.
“He has considered the matter seriously and has shown up for Iftar, so he can understand your suffering and help resolve it. We thank him very much.”
“I am very happy to meet all of you [on Friday]. I will also remind the UN secretary-general to make sure that the repatriation process is expedited,” he concluded.
At the event, the UN chief said repatriation is the only solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Speaking about the consequences of reducing aid to Rohingya refugees, Guterres said: “That would be an unmitigated disaster that we can’t accept. Because people will suffer and even people will die.
"My voice will not end until the international community understands that they have the obligation to invest now in supporting the Rohingya refugees here in Bangladesh and to ensure that those who have already suffered so much are taken care of," he added.
After Iftar, Yunus and Guterres returned by road to Cox’s Bazar Airport, from where they flew back to Dhaka at 8pm on a special Biman flight.
