Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will deliver the keynote address at a special session of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the Rohingya Situation in Cox’s Bazar on Monday (August 25), as Bangladesh intensifies its diplomatic efforts to rally global consensus for a sustainable solution to the protracted crisis.
The session, scheduled to begin at 11am, is part of the three-day international conference titled “Stakeholders’ Dialogue: Takeaways to the High-Level Conference on Rohingya Situation,” which opened Sunday in the beach town. The initiative aims to amplify Bangladesh’s position and engage global stakeholders in devising a pathway toward the safe and dignified repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
On the opening day, a rare interactive session brought together Rohingya camp representatives, diaspora members, and Bangladeshi officials, focusing on confidence-building measures for creating conditions conducive to repatriation. The event was moderated by Rohingya community leaders, while several Rohingya youth and diaspora members shared their perspectives.
Bangladesh’s High Representative for the Rohingya Issue and National Security Adviser Khaliur Rahman and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam attended the discussions, reiterating Dhaka’s unwavering commitment to humanitarian support despite the heavy socio-economic and environmental burden the country continues to bear.
International dignitaries including UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Thomas H Andrews, UN Resident Coordinator Rana Flowers, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar Nicholas Koumjian, and UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Raouf Mazou joined the deliberations. Representatives from foreign missions, UN agencies, civil society, and major Bangladeshi political parties—including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, NCP, and Gono Odhikar Parishad—also took part, reflecting broad national unity on the Rohingya issue.
Bangladesh, hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas for more than seven years, has consistently urged the international community to exert pressure on Myanmar to ensure the refugees’ voluntary and safe return. Officials emphasized that while Bangladesh continues to uphold humanitarian values, the crisis cannot remain an indefinite responsibility of one country.
The Stakeholders’ Dialogue, seen as a strategic lead-up to a high-level UN conference on minority issues in September, underscores Dhaka’s proactive diplomatic stance. By facilitating both domestic and international voices, Bangladesh aims to keep the Rohingya crisis high on the global agenda and ensure accountability for Myanmar’s actions.
 

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