United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus are set to visit the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Friday, March 14.
Guterres will arrive in Bangladesh on March 13 for a four-day official visit. On the second day of his trip, he will depart from Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar at 10 AM. Upon arrival at Cox’s Bazar Airport, he will be welcomed by interim government adviser Faruq-e-Azam Bir Protik. From there, he will proceed to the Rohingya camps in Ukhiya.
Later that day, at around 4 PM, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will arrive at the refugee camps via helicopter from Dhaka. This will mark Guterres’ first visit to the Rohingya camps since 2018, while for Yunus, it will be his first visit in his new advisory role.
Guterres will hold separate meetings with Rohingya community leaders, youth representatives, and women during his visit. In the afternoon, he is also expected to meet religious leaders at the Kutupalong refugee camp.
The visit has sparked renewed hope among the Rohingya refugees, who see it as an opportunity to voice their demand for safe repatriation to Myanmar. Many believe this could be a crucial moment to push for their return under international supervision.
Discussions are also expected to include the recent reduction of food aid for Rohingya refugees by the World Food Programme (WFP), which has led to increasing humanitarian concerns in the camps.
Mohammad Zubair, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, stated, “We will urge the UN Secretary-General to ensure a sustainable repatriation process under UN supervision and the establishment of a safe zone in Rakhine. We will also highlight the severe impact of reduced food assistance.”
Sulaiman, a resident of Camp 21, expressed his eagerness to share their struggles with Guterres: “If we get the chance, we want to tell him about our hardships and suffering.”
Young Rohingya activist Mujibur Rahman echoed the demand for repatriation: “We want to return home. But without security in Rakhine, that is not possible. If the UN guarantees our safety, we are ready to go back immediately, because this is not our homeland.”
The visit will conclude with an Iftar gathering on Friday evening, during which the UN chief and the chief adviser will meet Rohingya community representatives before departing for Dhaka.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
File Photo
