Voices of Rohingya to echo at Cox’s Bazar conference

Diplomatic Correspondent :

National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman has warned that the Rohingya issue is gradually slipping off the international agenda, and said the interim government is making concerted efforts to rally global support for a resolution.

He made the remarks on Sunday while briefing foreign diplomats and international development partners at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. Khalilur Rahman noted that Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has convened an international conference with broad consensus, and that 106 United Nations member states have agreed to participate, reflecting continued international engagement.

Diplomats from over 50 missions, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, Singapore, Turkey, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, attended the briefing.

According to sources, four conferences on the Rohingya issue are scheduled between August and December, organised jointly by the United Nations, Qatar, and Bangladesh. The first, titled “Stakeholder Dialogue: Messages for the High-Level Discussion on the Rohingya Situation”, will be held in Cox’s Bazar on 25 August, marking the eighth anniversary of the Rohingya influx. Chief Adviser Yunus is expected to attend as chief guest.

Subsequent conferences include a high-level meeting in New York on 30 September alongside the UN General Assembly, and another international gathering in Doha, Qatar, on 6 December.

“The Cox’s Bazar conference is an opportunity to amplify the Rohingyas’ voices and provide the international community with a roadmap towards urgent solutions,” Khalilur Rahman said. “Although the Rohingyas are not UN member states, we are presenting their statements, hopes, and aspirations to the participating countries. Their messages will form a key component of the upcoming UN discussions.”

The three-day event from 24 to 26 August will include cultural programmes, exhibitions in refugee camps, and five working sessions. Core themes will focus on scaling up humanitarian assistance, instilling hope among refugees, ensuring accountability for the genocide, and identifying sustainable solutions.

Since August 2017, more than 1.4 million Rohingyas have sought refuge in Bangladesh following persecution by Myanmar’s military. With global attention waning and humanitarian aid declining, Bangladesh is intensifying its diplomatic efforts to bring renewed international focus to the crisis.