Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus emphasized that the return of over one million Rohingyas to Myanmar’s Rakhine State is the most practical and lasting solution to the crisis. He called on the UN refugee agency to maintain its active involvement in facilitating their safe repatriation.
These statements were made during a meeting between Prof Yunus and the newly appointed country representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ivo Freijsen, at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka. The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing disclosed the details of the discussion.
The UNHCR representative highlighted a significant decrease in aid for Rohingyas residing in Cox’s Bazar camps and emphasized the importance of promoting self-reliance and livelihood opportunities within the settlements.
Prof Yunus expressed concern that the Rohingya crisis was not receiving adequate attention, despite Bangladesh’s interim government organizing various high-profile events over the past year. He mentioned the UN secretary-general’s visit to the camps during Ramadan as a significant event that brought international awareness to the humanitarian situation.
Ivo Freijsen mentioned that the newly appointed UNHCR chief, Barham Salih, is eager to visit Bangladesh soon and intends to tour the Rohingya camps. Filippo Grandi, the predecessor, had visited the camps multiple times since 2017.
