United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today reiterated his call to the international community to provide more support for Rohingyas to aviod humanitarian disasters in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
“I strongly appeal to the international community to allow us to avoid any tragedy,” he said in a joint press briefing at Hotel Intercontinental here.
The UN chief called upon the international community to take greater responsibility and provide necessary financial and political support for both the refugees and their host communities.
António Guterres highlighted Bangladesh’s extraordinary generosity in responding to the Rohingya crisis.
“It is a testament to your enduring humanitarian spirit”, he said, adding that for years, the Bangladesh’s people, especially the communities in Cox’s Bazar, have hosted over a million refugees fleeing violence and persecution.
“By offering Rohingya refugees sanctuary, Bangladesh has demonstrated solidarity and human dignity, often at significant social, environmental and economic cost.
“The world must not take this generosity for granted,” he said.
The UN secretary general highlighted that he mentioned yesterday in Cox’s Bazaar, the world is on the verge of a deep humanitarian crisis.
“With the announced cuts in financial assistance, we are facing the dramatic risk of having only 40 percent in 2025 of the resources available for humanitarian aid in 2024. This would have terrible consequences, starting with the drastic reduction of food rations,” he said.
That would be an unmitigated disaster, he said, adding that people would suffer and die.
Guterres said the UN is fully committed to working with Bangladesh and others in finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis that enables their safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return to Myanmar.
He said planning is also well underway by UN Member States for a High-Level Conference on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.
“We know the situation there continues to deteriorate. The escalation of violence and human rights violations across Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, are causing civilian casualties and driving displacement internally and across borders,” the UN chief said.
He urged all parties in Myanmar to exercise maximum restraint, prioritize the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of communal tension and violence – paving the way for democracy to take root.
He conveyed his heartfelt greetings to Muslims across Bangladesh and around the world observing the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Guterres said Ramadan is a time of reflection, spiritual renewal, and unity.
Every year, he said, he undertakes a solidarity visit and spends time with Muslim communities living in difficult circumstances, to observe the fast with them, and to help shine a global spotlight on their plight.
“This year, I decided to come to Bangladesh to express my solidarity with Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people that host them,” the UN chief said.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain also spoke at the joint briefing.
