Antonio Guterres departs Dhaka after key meetings with political leaders

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concluded his four-day visit to Bangladesh and left Dhaka this morning at 9:55 AM from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. 

He was bid farewell by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as well as the Ministry of Water Resources.

Guterres arrived in Dhaka on Thursday, marking an important visit where he held discussions with significant political figures. 

During his time in Bangladesh, he met with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, and leaders from major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

One of the highlights of his trip was his visit to the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya on Friday. 

Accompanied by Chief Adviser Yunus, Guterres toured the camps, which house hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. 

The Secretary-General shared an iftar meal with 100,000 Rohingya refugees, underscoring the UN’s continued support for the displaced community.

On Saturday, Guterres visited the newly constructed United Nations building in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. 

Later in the afternoon, he attended a joint press conference, where he emphasized Bangladesh‍‍`s current political climate. 

"Bangladesh is going through an important period," Guterres said. 

"There is hope that the country will soon reach a successful democratic environment."

However, the Rohingya crisis remains a critical issue. 

Guterres addressed this at the press conference, noting that the current situation in Myanmar‍‍`s Rakhine state makes peaceful repatriation of Rohingya refugees very difficult at this time. 

He urged neighboring countries to exert more pressure on Myanmar to resolve the situation.

This visit marks a significant step in ongoing international efforts to address both the political and humanitarian challenges facing Bangladesh and the region.