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UN PhotoBANGLADESH / GUTERRES COX'S BAZAR VISIT
STORY: BANGLADESH / GUTERRES COX'S BAZAR VISIT
TRT: 05:26
SOURCE: UNHCR BANGLADESH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 MARCH 2025, COX BAZAR, BANGLADESH
1. Various shots, Secretary-General António Guterres and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus arrival in Cox Bazar
2. Various shots, Guterres visiting a school and interacting with Rohingya students
3. Various shots, Guterres visiting Rohingya community projects and interacting with refugees
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
" Rohingyas want to go back to Myanmar. It is essential that the international community does everything to make sure that peace is reestablished in Myanmar and that the rights of the Rohingyas are respected, that discrimination and persecution like the one we have witnessed in the past, will end”
5. Wide shot, Guterres interacting with refugees
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“They want better conditions in the camp. Unfortunately, recently, dramatic cuts in humanitarian aid were announced by the United States and by several other countries, mainly in Europe, and because of that, we are at risk to cut the food rations in this camp. I can promise that we will do everything to avoid it, and I will be talking to all countries in the world that can support us in order to make sure that funds are made available to avoid a situation in which people would suffer even more and that some people would even die.”
7. Various shots, Guterres visiting a textile manufacturing plant that employs Rohingya refugees
8. Pan right, crowds waiting for Iftar dinner
9. Wide shot, Guterres arrival
10. Med shot, Guterres waving to crowd
11. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Rohingya refugees have come here for what people anywhere seek: protection, dignity, safety for them and their families.”
12. Wide shot, Guterres and Yunus waving to crowd
13. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“My message to all parties in Myanmar is clear: exercise maximum restraint, prioritize the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of communal tension and violence – paving the way for democracy to take root and to create the conditions for Rohingyas to be able to go back home as they all want.”
14. Wide shot, Guterres waving to Iftar dinner attendees
15. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“But the situation in Myanmar remains dire, including in Rakhine state. Until the conflict and systematic persecution ends, we must support those who need protection here in Bangladesh.”
16. Med shot, Guterres and Yunus waving to crowd
17. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“So, we have a special obligation to ensure the aid reaches Rohingya refugees, and show
that the world has not forgotten them.
18. Med shot, Guterres and Yunus
19. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“That is why the cuts by the international community of the aid to Rohingya refugees is unacceptable. I repeat: Cox’s Bazar is ground zero for the impact of budget cuts on people in desperate need and we must do everything to make sure that that does not happen.”
20. Various shots, Iftar dinner
Secretary-General António Guterres is in Bangladesh today (14 Mar) where he spent the day in Cox’s Bazaar as part of his Ramadan solidarity visit with Rohingya refugees and their Bangladeshi host communities.
The Secretary-General had the chance to meet with refugees, many of them young men and women, who told him about their experiences and their concerns. He spoke to children who were grateful to be able to go to school in the camps, but also, they said how much they missed their homes in Myanmar.
And he met young people who still have hope to return to their homeland but are also worried about the impending funding cuts which would dramatically reduce their monthly food rations (from $12.50 to $6 per month) – and I will have more on those announcements from the World Food Programme shortly.
The Secretary-General also visited a jute centre, where he had a chance to hear from women who are trying to build a livelihood inside the camps.
The Secretary-General assured every one of the people he met that he would do everything he can to stop the funding cuts, and he apologized to them because the United Nations and the international community have not been able to stop the conflict in Myanmar.
He later had a press encounter in which he said that he had heard two clear messages: first, from Rohingyas who want to go back to Myanmar; and second, that they want better conditions in the camps where they are living.
He said, “Rohingyas want to go back to Myanmar. It is essential that the international community does everything to make sure that peace is reestablished in Myanmar and that the rights of the Rohingyas are respected, that discrimination and persecution like the one we have witnessed in the past, will end.”
The Secretary-General said Rohingyas “want better conditions in the camp. Unfortunately, recently, dramatic cuts in humanitarian aid were announced by the United States and by several other countries, mainly in Europe, and because of that, we are at risk to cut the food rations in this camp. I can promise that we will do everything to avoid it, and I will be talking to all countries in the world that can support us in order to make sure that funds are made available to avoid a situation in which people would suffer even more and that some people would even die.”
And at sunset, the Secretary-General shared an Iftar with some 60,000 refugees. He told them that sharing an Iftar with them is a symbol of his deep respect for their religion and their culture. He also said that we are facing a deep humanitarian crisis with the announced funding cuts, and he lamented that as a result, many people will suffer, and some people might even die.
He said, “Rohingya refugees have come here for what people anywhere seek: protection, dignity, safety for them and their families.”
Guterres called on parties in Myanmar to “exercise maximum restraint, prioritize the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of communal tension and violence – paving the way for democracy to take root and to create the conditions for Rohingyas to be able to go back home as they all want.”
He said, “but the situation in Myanmar remains dire, including in Rakhine state. Until the conflict and systematic persecution ends, we must support those who need protection here in Bangladesh.”
The Secretary-General said, “we have a special obligation to ensure the aid reaches Rohingya refugees, and show that the world has not forgotten them.”
He said, “that is why the cuts by the international community of the aid to Rohingya refugees is unacceptable. I repeat: Cox’s Bazar is ground zero for the impact of budget cuts on people in desperate need and we must do everything to make sure that that does not happen.”
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus was also present at the Iftar, and they met separately, they have had a bilateral earlier in the day, he was with the Secretary-General during part of the trip.
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