Global focus on Rohingya crisis to return through UN chief’s visit: Govt

The interim government on Wednesday (March 12) said UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ scheduled visit from March 13 to March 16 would help redouble global efforts to find an early solution to the Rohingya crisis bringing the crisis to global attention again.

“This is an important visit for Bangladesh. We firmly believe that the visit will help bring the crisis to the global spotlight. We expect the UN chief will give a good message to that end,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters at a media briefing at Foreign Service Academy ahead of the UN chief's second visit to Bangladesh, reports UNB.

Alam said the interim government led by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus from the very beginning is working to ensure that the Rohingya crisis comes to the global map again despite there being other global crises.

“The government wants to make sure that the global focus is there,” he said, adding that the Chief Adviser is highlighting the Rohingya crisis with the international dignitaries.

The Press Secretary said the government wants early resolution of the Rohingya crisis so that they can return to their place of origin in Myanmar’s Rakhine State with safety and dignity. “It is a top priority of the interim government.”

Alam said the humanitarian aid for the Rohingyas declined sharply and hoped that the visit will help find some ways to address the issue and efforts will be redoubled to mobilize aids for the Rohingyas. “We do no not want to see any disruption of funds flow. We do no not want to see their nutritional needs compromised.”

Without urgent new funding, monthly rations must be halved to US$6 per person, down from US$12.50 per person – just as refugees prepare to observe Eid, marking the end of Ramadan, said the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) recently.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned of a critical funding shortfall for its emergency response operations in Bangladesh, jeopardising food assistance for over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.