Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Monday placed seven-point proposals, seeking collective efforts for charting a practical roadmap for the speedy, safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their homes in Rakhine as soon as possible.
"We must not be held hostage to mere rhetoric. The time for action is now," he said while speaking as the chief guest at the "Stakeholders Dialogue" in Cox's Bazar.
He said it is not only the responsibility of Bangladesh but also of the international community to share the burden of the Rohingya crisis, to reflect on the possible solutions and to play an active role in implementing them.
He said the Rohingya issue and its sustainable resolution must be kept alive on the global agenda as they need support until they return home.
In that spirit of solidarity, during the last Ramadan in this year's March, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Muhammad Yunus joined over one hundred thousand Rohingyas in an Iftar in Cox's Bazar.
"We clearly heard Rohingyas' keen desire to return home as soon as possible," Prof Yunus said.
The special session, as part of the three-day conference, began at 11am that called for joint efforts to ensure sustainable peace in Myanmar and in the region, dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas, addressing the challenges on multiple fronts.
A one-minute silence was observed on the occasion of "Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day." A documentary was also screened on the Rohingya crisis.
Speaking at the event, National Security Adviser and High Representative on the Rohingya Issue Khalilur Rahman called for concrete international action to ensure safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas to their place of origin in Myanmar.
"We need to continue what we are doing," Khalilur Rahman said.
Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations and Assistant Secretary-General Raouf Mazou among others spoke.
Seven proposals
- Right to Return: Ensure Rohingyas' speedy, safe, voluntary and sustainable repatriation to Rakhine without delay.
- Sustained Aid: Donors must fill gaps in the 2025-26 Joint Response Plan and guarantee long-term funding.
- End Violence: Myanmar authorities and Arakan Army must stop attacks, ensure Rohingya security, prevent new outflows, and allow IDPs to return home.
- Dialogue: Establish a platform for inclusive dialogue to reduce tensions, restore rights, and promote reconciliation.
- Global & Regional Role: ASEAN, neighbours, and the international community must foster peace, stability, and combat cross-border crimes.
- Oppose Ethnic Cleansing: Stakeholders must stand firmly against ethnic cleansing and calibrate relations with Myanmar and conflict parties.
- Accountability: Strengthen ICJ and ICC processes, implement ICJ measures, and deliver justice for genocide and crimes against humanity.
The chief adviser said the Rohingya crisis emanated from Myanmar and the solution also lies there.
"All parties must act to end the crisis with greater resolve without any further delay. Your solidarity with the Rohingya voice could be a beacon of hope for them in reversing their marginalisation and persecution as the starting point of their return to their homeland.
"Let us all join our hands and pronounce our determination to contribute to their dignified return, ensuring justice and accountability," said the chief adviser.
He recalled that last year, in the United Nations General Assembly, he made a three-point proposition to address the Rohingya crisis. In recognition of my call, the High-Level Conference was envisaged for this year's General Assembly.
"I hope that this Dialogue here in Cox's Bazar will contribute substantially to the New York conference in shaping up the roadmap for an expedited and permanent solution of the Rohingya crisis," Muhammad Yunus said.
He said Bangladesh supports and is working relentlessly for a sustainable solution to your crisis.
"Dialogue is aimed at amplifying your voice in rolling out a roadmap towards early, voluntary and sustainable return to your homeland," he added.
On the 8th "Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day," with a heavy heart, Muhammad Yunus drew attention of all to the forced displacement of Rohingyas, and their exodus to Bangladesh from Myanmar.
In August 2017, in a span of only a few weeks, around eight hundred thousand Rohingyas crossed into Bangladesh.
They came to Bangladesh to save their lives. "Unfortunately, the barbaric attack and persecution still persist. Hence, we see fresh arrivals at our doorsteps even today.
"On this fateful day, it is our moral responsibility to take the right side of history and stop the armed actors from carrying out their horrible design of ethnic cleansing of entire Rohingya populace," said the chief adviser, adding that it will be a historic blunder, if they wait for seeing the very last Rohingya leaving Rakhine.
He said they see fearful and shattered eyes of Rohingya women and men when they appear at our doorsteps with horrific stories.
The stories include, among others, systematic persecution, denial of nationality, forced deportation, mass killing, rape, inhuman torture, destruction of their properties in arson and so on.
"That is why, in 2017 and even before that, Bangladesh opened its border to the Rohingya in a humanitarian gesture to save their lives despite resource and capacity constraints. This manifests our empathy and compassion towards fellow human beings during their gravest humanitarian crisis," Yunus added.
He said they don't afford any more to stand silent at the protracted situation of Rohingyas and urged upon the international community to undertake collective efforts to stop the Myanmar Junta and the Arakan Army from unleashing violence against the Rohingya.
"Effective role of the international community is much more needed than ever before," the chief adviser said.
He acknowledged continued support, assistance and solidarity of the donors, partners, UN agencies, international organisations and friends across the globe to the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh.
"We greatly value your compassion and continued partnership for the Rohingyas. Your continued support will remain pivotal and exigent until they return home," he added.
Bangladesh now hosts 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar that makes Cox's Bazar the largest refugee camps.
In addition, around thirty-two thousand new babies are born each year in Rohingya camps.
"On the contrary, only less than five hundred thousand of them are living in Myanmar. This picture manifests that due to continued persecution, Rohingyas are leaving Myanmar," Yunus said.
During the last eight years, people of Bangladesh, in particular the host community here in Cox's Bazar have been making tremendous sacrifices.
Highlighting the impact on the economy, resources, environment and ecosystem, society and governance have been huge, the chief adviser said, "I thank our host community and the people of Bangladesh for their whole hearted support and enormous sacrifices for the Rohingya."
He further mentioned that they do not foresee any scope whatsoever for further mobilisation of resources from our domestic sources given our numerous challenges.
The three-day international conference titled "Stakeholders' Dialogue: Takeaways to the High-Level Conference on Rohingya Situation" began in Cox's Bazar on Sunday with the aim of engaging global stakeholders to find solutions to the prolonged Rohingya crisis.
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