By Mohammed Zonaid
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, reaffirming their commitment to Rohingya repatriation while urgently calling for solutions to the growing aid crisis. Their visit comes at a time when funding shortages and instability in Myanmar have left nearly one million Rohingya refugees in an increasingly dire situation.
UN Chief: ‘We Cannot Let the World Forget the Rohingya’
During his visit, Guterres met with Rohingya children at a learning center, spoke with women at Camp 18, and visited the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC), emphasizing the community’s resilience despite prolonged displacement.
Photo credit: CA Press Wing
“Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is home to the world’s largest refugee camp. The announced cuts in financial assistance are putting us at risk of having only a fraction of the resources needed to support Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities hosting them. People would suffer. People would die. It would be an unmitigated disaster,” Guterres declared.
He urged the global community to act swiftly, stating, “We cannot accept that the international community forgets about the Rohingya.”
Bangladesh’s Commitment to Repatriation
At an Iftar gathering attended by approximately 100,000 Rohingya refugees, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Rohingya to Myanmar.
Photo credit: CA Press Wing
A Humanitarian Corridor and Regional Diplomacy
In addition to discussing repatriation, Bangladesh and the UN are exploring the possibility of establishing a humanitarian corridor in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. By engaging with the Arakan Army (AA), the initiative aims to:
- Facilitate humanitarian aid for war-affected communities in Rakhine.
- Allow cross-border trade to stabilize local economies.
- Create conditions for the voluntary return of Rohingya refugees.
Although no formal agreement has been reached, diplomatic efforts are ongoing to ensure access for humanitarian agencies and lay the groundwork for sustainable repatriation.
A Critical Moment for Rohingya and Global Responsibility
Photo credit: CA Press Wing
With food rations cut and violence persisting in Myanmar, Rohingya refugees are caught in a humanitarian crisis. While Bangladesh continues to provide shelter, it has repeatedly urged greater international responsibility in securing a lasting solution.