Rohingya Crisis: Dhaka asks UN for concrete measures for early, sustainable resolution

Bangladesh has requested the United Nations to mobilise the international community with a view to ensuring that the planned international conference later this year adopts concrete measures for an early and sustainable resolution of the issue.

High Representative of Bangladesh's chief adviser on the Rohingya issue and priority matters Dr Khalilur Rahman met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on 7 February to discuss the upcoming UN International Conference on Rohingya Muslims and other Minorities of Myanmar to be held in 2025.

The UN General Assembly decided to hold the Conference by consensus. 

The UN chief reiterated the UN's continued commitment to a durable solution to the Rohingya issue. 

He assured of his help with ensuring funding for these actions, said the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN.

Khalilur highlighted the importance of urgent international actions for a sustainable resolution of the Rohingya issue which continues to threaten regional peace and security.  

He also highlighted the serious humanitarian conditions in the Rakhine State and warned that the impending famine conditions will cause further destabilisation of the conflict ravaged state. 

Khalilur indicated the willingness of Bangladesh to positively consider supporting UN-led initiatives in the state to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, restart livelihood and, in the process, create enabling conditions for voluntary, safe and dignified return of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh back to Rakhine. 

He drew the attention of the secretary general to the deteriorating external funding situation and urged him to use his good offices to mobilise sufficient resources. 

He also requested the secretary general to ensure that aid providers and recipients have unimpeded access and are free from violence, intimidation, discrimination and displacement and that air strikes and bombings are brought to an end. 

The UN secretary general recalled his visits to the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar and Rakhine State and reiterated his concerns for the Rohingyas who remain victims of systematic discrimination and grave violations of their fundamental rights. 

He lauded the continued generosity of Bangladesh in hosting nearly 1.2 million Rohingyas for eight years. 

The UN chief recognised Bangladesh's indispensable role in providing support to the UN-led humanitarian assistance to Rakhine at this critical hour of need. 

Khalilur also apprised the secretary general of Bangladesh's reforms efforts under the leadership of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and underlined the need for a stronger role of Bangladesh in the UN peacekeeping activities. 

The UN chief recalled his recent meeting with the chief adviser at Davos and reiterated firm support to the reform efforts. 

He also assured the Khalilur of his personal attention to higher level representations of Bangladesh in the UN peacekeeping machinery. 

Khalilur also held separate bilateral meetings with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. 

Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury was present in the meetings.