United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has written afresh to India seeking former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition following the recent verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal-1. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday (November 23) disclosed the fresh diplomatic communication with New Delhi but did not elaborate further. A diplomatic source in New Delhi told UNB that the diplomatic note (note verbale) was sent to New Delhi soon after National Security Adviser (NSA) and High Representative for the Rohingya Issue Dr Khalilur Rahman’s returns home from New Delhi. Dr Rahman attended the 7th meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in New Delhi on November 20 at the invitation of Indian NSA Ajit Doval. On November 17, the ICT sentenced Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during last year’s July-August mass uprising. Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who testified as a state witness in the case, was sentenced to five years in prison. Dhaka may approach ICC to bring back Hasina, Kamal: Law Adviser After the verdict, Bangladesh urged the government of India to immediately hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both convicted already, to its authorities. “I understand they need to be brought back. We will let India know our position officially. Certainly, an official letter will be sent,” Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 17. Acknowledging that India did not reply to Bangladesh’s extradition request for Hasina, Hossain said the situation is different now as the trial is completed and they are punished. "This is also an obligation for India under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. "It would be a grave act of unfriendly conduct and a travesty of justice for any other country to grant shelter to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its statement. July Martyrs’ families demand swift execution of Hasina’s sentence Meanwhile, India said it noted the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh concerning Hasina and said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders. “As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country,” said India’s Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. The India ministry said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end. President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) Maj Gen (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman on Saturday said India, as a friendly neighbour, should respect Bangladesh’s legal systems and return former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh. "If India respects international norms and rules, and international order, then India as a friendly neighbour, should respect Bangladesh’s legal systems," he said while responding to a question during a session at the Bay of Bengal Conversation in Dhaka. UN rights body regrets Hasina’s death sentence, calls verdict important for victims Muniruzzaman said Hasina's trial has gone through all international standards legal systems under which she was convicted.  "And that's a legal system that should be respected by all our neighbours," he added. If that respect is there, Muniruzzaman said, by all accounts she should be returned to Bangladesh. The security analyst said Bangladesh and India have an extradition treaty and India is almost legally bound to send Hasina back to Bangladesh under the treaty. He wanted to know what would be India's reaction if Bangladesh was housing a number of Indians and did not return them after a request made by New Delhi to Dhaka. If that is the case, Muniruzzaman said, anybody convinced under Bangladesh's law by international standards, India is legally bound to send him or her bank to Bangladesh.  "And by all those accounts, we demand that New Delhi sends her (Hasina) back to Bangladesh," he said. Verdict in Rajuk plot graft case against Hasina, Putul on Nov 27

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus has described the cut in donor funding as a serious challenge, saying that it has already caused school closures and the loss of thousands of jobs for Rohingya teachers. "This is a disaster. Education in the camps provided a glimmer of hope for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children. Our concern is for these children, who are growing up as angry young people and that anger could erupt in unpredictable ways," Prof Yunus told Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell. She met with the Chief Adviser on Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a hotel in New York. Prof Yunus, UNHCR chief push for justice, new resources for Rohingya Their discussion focused on the ongoing Rohingya crisis, particularly the severe funding shortfall affecting humanitarian operations for the over one million refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh. A key concern was the impact of these funding cuts on education services for Rohingya children in the camps, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Tuesday. Unicef Executive Director Russell painted a grim picture of the global funding climate, noting that even traditionally generous European nations are reducing their humanitarian contributions to agencies such as Unicef.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Thursday said the interim government is actively engaging with international stakeholders to address the Rohingya crisis, bringing the issue back to global forums as a major topic of discussion and working towards a roadmap for their safe and dignified return to Myanmar. As part of these efforts, a three-day international conference will be held in Cox’s Bazar beginning on August 24, he said. Briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Alam said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will attend the conference on August 25, while the dialogue will continue until August 26. Prof Yunus' Malaysia visit to be crucial, action-packed: Shafiqul Alam Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahmmad were present. The Press Secretary said two more international conferences are scheduled to be held later this year in New York and Doha. The largest will take place in the last week of September in New York. He said Rohingya representatives, delegates from 40 countries, diplomats based in Dhaka and representatives from UN agencies will participate in the Cox’s Bazar conference. Alam said a special discussion with Rohingya representatives will take place on August 24. Bangladeshi workers to enjoy similar social benefits, protection like Malaysians: Shafiqul Alam The three-day conference will highlight issues of repatriation, funding and a comprehensive roadmap for the safe return of Rohingyas. Around 170 countries are expected to join the high-level conference on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar which will be organised on September 30 in New York on the sidelines of UNGA. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has recently said the government is working on three fronts -- uninterrupted flow of foreign funding, keeping the issue alive amid other global crises and ensuring their safe and dignified return. “The issue should not be forgotten. We continuously bring it to focus. We are working on three fronts,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh sought intensified humanitarian contributions for Rohingyas, stressing that the pressure on Bangladesh’s economy, environment and local communities is unsustainable. "We are facing mounting humanitarian, developmental and security-related challenges," Adviser Hossain said recently while speaking at the OIC Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations against the Rohingyas. Bangladesh has shown ‘extraordinary compassion and responsibility’ by sheltering over 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas despite experiencing a snowballing of the crises. The United States and other foreign donor cutbacks in humanitarian aid have worsened the already existing education crisis for 437,000 school-age children in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch recently. On June 3, 2025, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) suspended thousands of ‘learning centers’ run by nongovernmental organisations in the refugee camps, for lack of funding. The only education currently in the Bangladesh refugee camps is at schools established by the Rohingya community without outside support or official recognition. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to respond to the needs of up to 150,000 Rohingya refugees who have arrived in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh over the last 18 months. Targeted violence and persecution in Rakhine State and the ongoing conflict in Myanmar have continued to force thousands of Rohingya to seek protection in Bangladesh. This movement of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, spread over months, is the largest from Myanmar since 2017, when some 750,000 fled the deadly violence in their native Rakhine State. Among the new arrivals, nearly 121,000 had been biometrically identified by the end of June, with more believed to be residing informally in the already overcrowded refugee camps. The overwhelming majority are women and children. More humanitarian support is urgently required as the new arrivals are largely dependent on the solidarity of those living in the camps, overstretching severely diminished resources.  

Fortify Rights on Wednesday said the International Criminal Court (ICC) should investigate war crimes, including abductions, torture, killings and beheadings of Rohingya civilians committed by the Arakan Army (AA), a powerful ethnic resistance force fighting the Myanmar military junta in Rakhine State, Myanmar. A new investigation by Fortify Rights documents how the AA, which currently controls much of Rakhine State, has committed serious violations of the laws of war in ad-hoc detention centres and villages under its control. “The Arakan Army is responsible for widespread abductions, brutal torture and the murder of Rohingya, some of whom were found beheaded, in blatant violation of the laws of war,” said Ejaz Min Khant, Human Rights Specialist at Fortify Rights. It said, “The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction and should investigate and prosecute perpetrators of serious crimes in Rakhine State, including from the Arakan Army.” Funding cuts heighten monsoon risks for Rohingyas in Bangladesh: UNHCR From April to July 2025, Fortify Rights interviewed 39 Rohingya individuals—including eight women—who survived and witnessed AA abuses in 2024 and 2025. Fortify Rights also viewed and analysed photographic and video evidence of AA crimes. “The Arakan Army must end its campaign of torture and killings of Rohingya in detention facilities and villages,” said Ejaz Min Khant, adding, “If the Arakan Army wants to be seen as a legitimate revolutionary armed force, it must respect international law, protect civilians, and be held accountable for the atrocities it has committed.”

The United Nations fears that more than 400 Rohingya refugees may have drowned in two separate shipwrecks off Myanmar’s coast earlier this month, marking what could be the deadliest maritime tragedy involving the persecuted group this year. In a statement released on Friday, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said it is deeply alarmed by reports of two maritime disasters on May 9 and 10. Initial findings suggest that a boat carrying 267 people sank on May 9, with only 66 survivors, while another vessel carrying 247 capsized the next day, with just 21 surviving. UNHCR said the Rohingya on these boats were either escaping from Bangladesh’s sprawling Cox’s Bazar refugee camps or fleeing conflict-hit Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The UN described the twin shipwrecks as potentially the most lethal incidents at sea involving Rohingya refugees in 2024. UNHCR Commissioner Filippo Grandi wrote on X that the tragedy highlights the desperate plight of the Rohingya and the increasing challenges they face, especially as international aid dwindles. UNHCR requires $383.1 mln in 2025 to stabilize lives of Rohingyas, host communities Since facing decades of systematic persecution in Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled the country, often embarking on perilous sea journeys in search of safety. The crisis escalated in 2017, when a brutal military crackdown forced over a million to flee to Bangladesh. Around 180,000 now face the threat of forced return to Myanmar, while many of those who stayed in Rakhine remain trapped in dire conditions. The humanitarian situation worsened after the military coup in 2021, which toppled the elected government and intensified conflict between the junta and ethnic rebel groups like the Arakan Army in Rakhine. Hai Kyung Jun, head of UNHCR’s Asia-Pacific bureau, said the deteriorating conditions and funding cuts are pushing more Rohingya to undertake deadly journeys in search of safety and dignity. UNHCR estimates that 657 Rohingya have died at sea in 2024 alone. The agency is urgently appealing for international support, noting that its $383 million funding target for 2025 remains only 30% met. Major humanitarian efforts have suffered due to reduced contributions from key donors, including the U.S. and other Western nations, which are shifting priorities toward defense spending amid global tensions. Source: Al Jazeera

Chief Adviser’s High Representative Dr Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday said the repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh is unlikely to proceed unless the ongoing conflicts in Myanmar's Rakhine (Arakan) state are resolved. “They (Rohingyas) are not leaving tomorrow. A repatriation process requires careful preparation — ensuring safety, livelihood opportunities and a stable environment. This is not unique to the Rohingya situation; it is fundamental to all repatriation processes,” he told a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir and Assistant Press Secretary Nayem Ali were present. Dr Khalilur Rahman said Bangladesh's interim government is actively working towards that end in coordination with relevant international and regional actors. He also elaborated key developments from the sixth Bimstec summit held in Bangkok from April 3 to 4, saying that the conference highlighted regional cooperation, including discussions on the long-standing Rohingya crisis. “During the summit, I met U Than Swe, Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. We have made significant progress regarding repatriation,” said Dr Rahman, adding, “Between 2018 and 2020, we submitted a list of 800,000 Rohingyas in six phases. Myanmar has reviewed 250,000 of these names and identified 180,000 people who they confirm arrived from Myanmar. However, there are some discrepancies regarding the remaining 70,000, which both sides are working to resolve.” Myanmar has also committed to accelerating the verification process for the remaining 550,000 Rohingyas. Hasina’s extradition issue raised but nothing finalised: Foreign Adviser He said Bangladesh is maintaining contact with all relevant stakeholders, including the Myanmar authorities, the Arakan Army, the United Nations, and friendly nations. “Under the 2018 bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar, verification has been ongoing. While Rakhine is a sovereign region of Myanmar, we have also engaged in dialogue with the Arakan Army, which publicly affirmed in September that repatriating the Rohingya is a key position for them. They reiterated this stance unequivocally during our discussions.” Dr Rahman emphasised, “We believe arrangements can be made to return these 180,000 individuals. While this won’t happen overnight, we are striving to expedite the process with all stakeholders involved.” Dr Khalil also relayed the Chief Adviser’s goal that Rohingya refugees may be able to celebrate the next Eid in their homeland. Referring to concerns about instability in Rakhine, where 80 percent of the territory is under the control of the Arakan Army, Dr Khalil acknowledged that conflict may delay the repatriation. He, however, highlighted substantial progress over the past three months. “This issue had been losing global attention, but thanks to efforts by the UN Secretary-General and the Chief Adviser, it has been brought back to the forefront. A dedicated international conference on the Rohingya crisis has also been secured at the UN.” On March 15, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and shared iftar with around 100,000 Rohingya refugees. Home adviser sees no specific security threat centering Pahela Baishakh During this visit, the UN Secretary-General reiterated that repatriation is the only viable solution to the crisis — a view echoed in a joint statement with China during a recent diplomatic visit. “This is the first time we have an agreed number,” said Dr Khalil, referring to the 180,000 verified individuals. “It gives us a foundation to move forward.” He underscored the necessity of ensuring an “enabling environment” for returnees. “You cannot push a community back into a fire. Safety and means of livelihood must be guaranteed. We cannot do this alone — all parties must collaborate.” Regarding Bangladesh’s role in promoting peace in Arakan, Dr Khalil said, “We are working with international organisations and various nations to address the humanitarian crisis and restore stability in the region. For any meaningful progress, a ceasefire between the warring parties is crucial.” He added, “Our discussions indicate that during humanitarian operations led by the UN, both sides are likely to observe a cessation of hostilities. We are hopeful that this will create the conditions needed for repatriation discussions to become more practical.” Responding to questions about the proposed humanitarian corridor mentioned by the UN Secretary-General, Dr Khalil said, “He used the term 'channel' rather than 'corridor' due to the legal implications. Bangladesh remains the only viable conduit for delivering aid, given that Rakhine’s coast remains under Tatmadaw control, making other access points infeasible.” Highlighting the broader humanitarian dimension, Dr Khalil said, “This is not just about the Rohingya. Many in the Rakhine community are suffering — from food shortages to lack of medical aid. Both communities have borne heavy losses in this conflict. Supporting them is not only our responsibility but that of the entire international community.” Describing Bangladesh’s evolving approach over the past eight years, he said, “The repatriation issue must be seen as an integrated process. Ensuring peace in Arakan and Rohingya repatriation are inherently linked. No one can be pushed back into a warzone. We are committed to voluntary repatriation, and the willingness to return is evident. The only hurdle is ensuring a safe and stable environment.” “This is a multidimensional challenge. Many elements were previously absent, but now the dimensions are coming together. And we are not alone in this effort,” he added.

A new investigation by Fortify Rights will reveal shocking new details about violence against Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh that rise to the level of international crimes, said the international rights body on Saturday ahead of its release. The 78-page report is based on years of research and more than 100 interviews with Rohingya survivors, eyewitnesses, armed group members, UN officials, aid workers and others. The report, to be released on Tuesday (March 18, 11 am Dhaka), will include urgent recommendations to the government of Bangladesh, militants and international actors. Fortify Rights is an independent nonprofit organisation registered in the United States and Switzerland. Global inaction will deepen Rohingya crisis, INGOs warn during UN chief’s visit The findings will expose patterns of abuses that have gone largely unaddressed by authorities. “I May Be Killed Any Moment” will document ruthless violence and deadly impunity by militant groups against Rohingya refugees, who are also facing a food and aid crisis, compounding the situation. A Rohingya woman human rights defender (pre-recorded message), John Quinley, Director, Fortify Rights, Patrick Phongsathorn, Senior Advocacy Specialist, Fortify Rights will join the programme moderated by Tanbirul Miraj Ripon, freelance journalist, at Dhaka Reporters Unity. Fortify Rights is an award-winning team of human rights defenders working to ensure human rights for all. We investigate violations, engage people with power on solutions, and strengthen human rights defenders.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will arrive in Dhaka on Thursday with a packed schedule for Friday and Saturday, featuring a series of meetings and greater engagements in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camp, before his departure on Sunday morning. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain will receive the UN chief who is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by an Emirates flight at around 5pm, officials said quoting his tentative programme schedule. Guterres will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at his office on Friday morning. Adviser Hossain Touhid Hossain and High Representative on Rohingya issue and priority matters Dr Khalilur Rahman will also together meet the UN chief at a city hotel. After these two separate meetings, the UN chief together with the Chief Adviser will travel to Cox’s Bazar to visit the Rohingya camps. Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam Bir Protik will receive them at Cox’s Bazar International Airport at around 12pm on Friday. Global focus on Rohingya crisis to return through UN chief’s visit: Govt At a briefing at the watch tower led by UNRC, RRRC, ISCG Principal Coordinator and IOM-UNHCR Representative, a panoramic view of the camps and Myanmar border will be provided. There will be a briefing by the World Bank; demonstrating the role of IFIs on strengthening infrastructure and human capital investment among refugees. The briefing will highlight disaster mitigation and integrated approaches to service delivery. Sharing their engagements in the Rohingya camp, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said they expect 1 lakh Rohingya people will join iftar with the Chief Adviser and UN chief together. Guterres and Dr Yunus will take part in an Iftar meal with refugees and members of the Bangladeshi host community, recognising the generosity of Bangladesh in sheltering nearly one million Rohingya who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar. They are expected to return to Dhaka from Cox’s Bazar around 8:40pm on Friday. UN chief Guterres meets Dr Yunus in Davos On Saturday, the UN chief will visit new UN common premises and see 50th anniversary photo exhibition. Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin are likely to remain present. Guterres will also join a meeting with the UN Country Team members and UN all staff. He is likely to attend a roundtable discussion on reforms and will have a separate dialogue with the youth on Saturday. The UN Secretary General will also have a meeting with the civil society to be moderated by Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. A joint media briefing by the UN Secretary General and Foreign Adviser Hossain is likely to take place before joining Iftar and early dinner to be hosted by Chief Adviser Yunus. Bangladesh invites UN Secretary General Guterres for 2025 visit The UN Secretary General is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Sunday morning wrapping up his second visit to Bangladesh. High Representative Khalilur Rahman will see him off at the airport.

The interim government on Wednesday said UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ scheduled visit from March 13-16 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.   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 UN chief, who is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka at 5pm on Thursday, will have a bilateral meeting with Dr Yunus on Friday morning before they together travel to Cox’s Bazar to visit the Rohingya camp. Gambia seeks Bangladesh support in pursuing genocide case against Myanmar He 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. All Rohingyas receive vouchers that are redeemed for their choice of food at designated retailers in the camps. To sustain full rations, WFP urgently requires US$15 million for April, and US$81 million until the end of 2025. Alam said the visit will also be helpful for mobilizing global support ahead of the UN international conference on the Rohingya crisis to be held in September. He said Finland and Malaysia have also joined as co-sponsors of the event. Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said the UN chief will have two working days mainly on Friday and Saturday though he arrives at 5pm on Thursday. Sharing their engagements in the Rohingya camp, Azad said they expect 1 lakh Rohingya people will join iftar with the Chief Adviser and UN chief together.  Guterres and Dr Yunus will also take part in an Iftar meal with refugees and members of the Bangladeshi host community, recognising the generosity of Bangladesh in sheltering nearly one million Rohingya who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar. The Chief Adviser will leave Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar in the morning (March 14) and return to Dhaka in the evening (same day), Azad said. As part of his annual Ramadan solidarity visit, Guterres will also meet young representatives from civil society. Bangladesh, Japan discuss PPP projects, transport cooperation The Secretary-General has made solidarity visits an annual tradition, beginning during his decade-long tenure as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, when he regularly observed Ramadan alongside displaced and marginalised communities. “Every Ramadan, I undertake a solidarity visit and fast with a Muslim community around the globe. These missions remind the world of the true face of Islam,” Guterres said in his message. “Ramadan embodies the values of compassion, empathy and generosity. It is an opportunity to reconnect with family and community…and I always come away even more inspired by the remarkable sense of peace that fills this season,” he added. UN chief Guterres, in a recent letter to Dr Yunus, expressed the hope that the high-level conference on Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar will renew global focus and help develop broader solutions for their plight. The United Nations will continue to mobilise the international community to support Bangladesh as a host to the Rohingya, Guterres said. “I will continue to exercise my good offices, including through my Special Envoy on the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, to work closely with regional actors, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other stakeholders, towards a political solution to the crisis in Myanmar, including creating conditions conducive to the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya to Rakhine,” he wrote. The UN chief has requested his senior managers to provide guidance to the United Nations Country Teams in Bangladesh and Myanmar on how they can maximize humanitarian aid and livelihood support to communities in Rakhine. FA urges Rohingya repatriation roadmap among stakeholders The United Nations will prioritise engagement on this issue, including through the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, in Myanmar, to enable safe, rapid, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need in Rakhine and throughout Myanmar.” “We await the agreed outcomes and plans for the conference, following Member State consultations, to understand how the United Nations system can best support the process.” He thanked Dr Yunus for his letter, dated 4 February 2025, which was shared with him by High Representative for the Rohingya Crisis and Priority Affairs Khalilur Rahman during their meeting on 7 February. The UN chief also reiterated the strong solidarity of the United Nations with Bangladesh and their support for the transition process under Dr Yunus’ leadership. He said he shared Bangladesh’s concerns regarding the impact of the Rohingya crisis on Bangladesh and the region, as well as the worsening humanitarian situation in Rakhine.

A rickety wooden boat carrying more than 100 Rohingya Muslims landed Wednesday in Indonesia as the northernmost province of Aceh continued to receive the refugees fleeing persecution and political unrest in Myanmar. Indonesia's government blames a surge in human trafficking for the increasing number of Rohingya Muslims who have arrived over the past few years. Local police chief Nova Suryandaru said the boat’s engine had broken down and the boat, carrying mostly women and children, ran aground near Pereulak village in East Aceh district. He said authorities were collecting information about their identities. He said one refugee told authorities that the vessel set off from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh with the hope of reaching Malaysia. But Suryandaru said many suspect the boat was deliberately damaged by illegal traffickers so the refugees would not be returned to sea. 30 dead in India's Kumbh festival stampede The government will take “firm action” against perpetrators of human trafficking, Suryandaru said. Over 600 Rohingya refugees have landed in East Aceh in the past year, including more than 260 weak and hungry refugees, mostly women and children, who landed in Pereulak in two boats earlier this month. Indonesia has appealed for help from the international community. About 1 million Rohingya, who are predominantly Muslim, are in camps in Bangladesh after leaving Myanmar. They include about 740,000 who fled a brutal “clearance campaign” in 2017 by Myanmar’s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings. The Rohingya minority face widespread discrimination in Myanmar and most are denied citizenship.