CA urges Qatar to lead Rohingya repatriation push
Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged Qatar to take a leading role in resolving the Rohingya crisis by rallying support from OIC countries and intensifying pressure on the international community to ensure their safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.
Speaking at a high-level roundtable titled “Social and Environmental Challenges around Forcibly Displaced Populations: The Case of the Rohingyas” on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha on Wednesday, Prof. Yunus highlighted the growing geopolitical urgency to address the humanitarian catastrophe.
“Qatar can use its good offices to put pressure on Myanmar for starting repatriation of Rohingya people without any further delay,” said the Chief Adviser.
He noted Qatar’s influential position and strong international relationships could make a significant difference in advancing the stalled repatriation process.
The roundtable was co-hosted by Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, CEO of Qatar Foundation and sister to the Amir of Qatar.
Prof Yunus praised the collaborative spirit of the discussion, emphasising the importance of action beyond rhetoric.
“Let us ensure that today’s discussion does not conclude with formalities alone, but marks the beginning of a meaningful partnership-one that keeps the Rohingya crisis at the forefront of our shared humanitarian priorities,” he said.
Prof Yunus warned that the prolonged presence of over 1.3 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh is creating serious socio-economic and security challenges, including a rise in criminal activities and illegal migration.
“If the problem persists further, it may affect the security and stability of the entire region and jeopardize development initiatives,” he cautioned.
He also expressed concern that global focus is shifting away from the Rohingya issue due to escalating crises elsewhere, and called for renewed international commitment.
Later, the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters that the Rohingya issue is gradually returning to the global agenda due to the interim government’s intensified diplomacy.
“Slowly but steadily, the crisis is being discussed globally now,” he said, confirming that one of Prof Yunus’s core aims at the Earthna Summit is to reignite international attention to the crisis.
Press Secretary Alam also revealed that this discussion is part of a broader effort that will culminate in a major conference on displaced populations in New York later this year.
According to government estimates, around 32,000 Rohingya children are born in the camps each year, further complicating the humanitarian situation and underlining the urgent need for repatriation.
Professor Muhammad Yunus recently highlighted the rapidly changing situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, noting that the Arakan Army (AA) now controls the entire 271-kilometre Bangladesh-Myanmar border and 14 out of Rakhine’s 17 townships.
As a result of the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, more than 100,000 new Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh since November 2023.