Bangladesh Prime Minister to discuss return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar at UN
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met with Julie Bishop, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, in New York City on Tuesday.
The high-level bilateral dialogue focused on mobilizing sustained international action to secure a safe, voluntary, and dignified return for the nearly one million Rohingya currently residing in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where addressing the long-standing political and humanitarian dimensions of the Myanmar crisis serves as a central priority for the Bangladeshi delegation.
According to Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Prime Minister Rahman urged the U.N. and the broader international community to move beyond short-term humanitarian relief and play an active role in resolving the root causes of displacement inside Myanmar.
Julie Bishop reiterated the U.N. Secretariat’s commitment to engaging key stakeholders across the region to establish viable protection conditions within Arakan State.
The meeting was attended by senior Bangladeshi officials, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Irene Khan, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
To translate diplomatic dialogue into concrete multilateral support, Bangladesh and The Gambia will co-host a high-level UNGA side event on Wednesday, titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability,” co-sponsored by the European Union.
The event aims to restore international political focus, bolster international funding for refugee-hosting nations, and strengthen global accountability initiatives at tribunals such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The initiative aligns with recent statements from U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urging member states to maintain crucial financial backing while pressing the military regime in Naypyidaw to halt hostilities and guarantee the fundamental rights of displaced minority populations.
UNB
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