Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his commitment to the rapid repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar.

During an Iftar gathering with refugees at Camp No. 20 in Ukhiya on Friday, Yunus addressed them in the regional dialect of Chattogram, ensuring his message was clearly understood.

Yunus expressed his ongoing efforts to facilitate their return and sought their prayers for the cause.

He said, “May we pray to Allah, that next Eid, you can celebrate in your own homes in Myanmar.”

The chief advisor assured the refugees that he would personally urge UN Secretary-General António Guterres to take immediate action regarding their repatriation.

Yunus arrived in Cox’s Bazar on Friday afternoon with Guterres, who was on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, traveling via a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Currently, over a million Rohingya refugees reside in camps, with repatriation efforts ongoing for several years.

Highlighting the refugees’ ties to their homeland, Yunus emphasized their rightful claims.

“You’ve told us that you have land and property there, and you don’t want to remain a burden here.

“Please stand on your feet as quickly as possible and show the world that you can return home.”

Yunus also lauded the UN secretary-general for prioritizing the repatriation issue despite his demanding schedule.

“He has considered the matter seriously and has shown up for Iftar, so he can understand your suffering and help resolve it. We thank him very much.”

“I am very happy to meet all of you [on Friday]. I will also remind the UN secretary-general to make sure that the repatriation process is expedited,” he concluded.

At the event, the UN chief reaffirmed that repatriation is the only solution to the Rohingya crisis.

Speaking about the dire consequences of reducing aid to Rohingya refugees, Guterres said: “That would be an unmitigated disaster that we can’t accept. Because people will suffer and even people will die.

"My voice will not end until the international community understands that they have the obligation to invest now in supporting the Rohingya refugees here in Bangladesh and to ensure that those who have already suffered so much are taken care of," he added.

Following the Iftar, Yunus and Guterres returned by road to Cox’s Bazar Airport, from where they departed for Dhaka at 8pm on a special Biman flight.

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