United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus are scheduled to visit Cox’s Bazar on Friday, March 14. According to a reliable source, both dignitaries will visit the Rohingya refugee camps and join an iftar with the displaced community on the same day.
While Guterres’ itinerary for the Cox’s Bazar visit has been finalized, security concerns have kept Dr. Yunus’ visit in a preliminary stage, the source added. Ahead of their arrival, a coordination meeting was held at the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s office, attended by senior officials.
Although they will have separate engagements during the visit, both will participate in the iftar with Rohingya refugees per their tentative schedules. Dr. Yunus is also expected to inaugurate the Cox’s Bazar District Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center alongside other significant programs.
According to the plan, UN Secretary-General Guterres will arrive at Cox’s Bazar Airport at noon via a special helicopter. He will then travel by road to the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya, where he will observe ongoing relief efforts and participate in several discussions. Later in the evening, he will join Dr. Yunus and the Rohingya community for iftar. Guterres is expected to leave Cox’s Bazar by air at 8:30 PM.
This visit has been titled “Ramadan Solidarity Visit.”
During his trip to Bangladesh, Guterres will observe fasting as a gesture of solidarity with the Muslim community. He followed this practice last year during visits to Egypt and Jordan during Ramadan. Earlier this year, he extended warm Ramadan greetings to Muslims worldwide.
This marks Guterres’ second visit to Bangladesh; he previously visited in 2023 to discuss the Rohingya crisis and climate change issues.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report/Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Courtesy
