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STORY: BANGLADESH / GUTERRES DHAKA PRESSER
TRT: 05:14
SOURCE: RCO BANGLADESH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 15 MARCH 2025, DHAKA, BANGLADESH
1. Wide shot, Secretary-General António Guterres and Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain at their podiums
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
" As the country undergoes a significant transition under the leadership of Chief Adviser Yunus, I recognize the people’s hopes for a future of greater democracy, justice, and prosperity. This is a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, and the international community must play its part in supporting your efforts towards a just, inclusive, and prosperous future.”
3. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“By offering Rohingya refugees sanctuary, Bangladesh has demonstrated solidarity and human dignity, often at significant social, environmental and economic cost. The world must not take this generosity for granted. I will continue to urge the international community to take greater responsibility and provide the necessary financial and political support for both the refugees and their host communities.”
5. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The United Nations is fully committed to working with Bangladesh and others in finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis that enables their safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return to Myanmar as all the Rohingyas I met yesterday expressed to me clearly.”
7. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
8. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The escalation of violence and human rights violations across Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, are causing civilian casualties and driving displacement internally and across borders. I call on all 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 creation of conditions for the dignified return of the Rohingya community.”
9. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
10. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“One of the discussions we had was about the possibility, if the circumstances allow, to have also humanitarian aid channelled from Bangladesh. But that is, obviously, a matter that would require the authorization and the cooperation of the parties to the conflict.”
11. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
12. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The Arakan army is an entity with which, I believe, a necessary dialogue must take place. We know that in the past, the relations between the Rakhine and the Rohingya communities were not easy, and so, I think it's important to engage the Arakan army in order for the full respect of the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine.”
13. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
14. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Sanctions are one possible instrument. Of course we would need, and it is difficult to obtain, a Security Council approval for sanctions in relation to Myanmar, but those sanctions not being possible, I think it's essential to increase the pressure of all the neighbours in relation to Myanmar, in order to guarantee that the fighting ends and that a way towards democracy is finally established.”
15. Wide shot, Guterres and Hossain
16. Wide shot, Guterres being greeted by Adilur Rahman Khan, Adviser for Housing and Public Works of Bangladesh and Gwyn Lewis, UN Resident Coordinator at the UN Building lobby
17. Various shots, Guterres visiting a photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-UN relations
18. Various shots, the Secretary-General at the podium, speaking
19. Wide shot, Guterres unveiling commemorative plaque
20. Various shots, Guterres meeting with youth representatives
21. Various shots, Guterres and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus attending Iftar dinner
During his visit to Bangladesh, Secretary-General António Guterres today (15 Mar) underscored the “pivotal moment” the country is facing as it navigates a period of significant transition and reform and said the international community “must play its part” in supporting the country “towards a just, inclusive, and prosperous future.”
Speaking to the media on Saturday, the Secretary-General praised Bangladesh’s progress and highlighted the leadership role of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Bangladesh has been undergoing a period of transition following the resignation and departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last August after weeks of student-led protests. More than 300 people, including many children, were reportedly killed and over 20,000 injured in a brutal crackdown by security forces.
Ms. Hasina had been in power since January 2009, having previously served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001.
The Secretary-General’s visit, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, was an opportunity to express solidarity with both the Bangladeshi people and the Rohingya refugees who have found shelter in the country.
Bangladesh is hosting over one million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
Guterres said, “by offering Rohingya refugees sanctuary, Bangladesh has demonstrated solidarity and human dignity, often at significant social, environmental and economic cost,” adding that “the world must not take this generosity for granted.
He said, the United Nations “is fully committed to working with Bangladesh and others in finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis that enables their safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return to Myanmar as all the Rohingyas I met yesterday expressed to me clearly.”
Across Myanmar, the Secretary-General said, “the escalation of violence and human rights violations, including in Rakhine State, are causing civilian casualties and driving displacement internally and across borders.”
He called on all parties “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 creation of conditions for the dignified return of the Rohingya community.”
Responding to a journalist’s question, Guterres said, “one of the discussions we had was about the possibility, if the circumstances allow, to have also humanitarian aid channelled from Bangladesh. But that is, obviously, a matter that would require the authorization and the cooperation of the parties to the conflict.”
Asked about the Arakan army, he said it is “an entity with which, I believe, a necessary dialogue must take place,” and added that “relations between the Rakhine and the Rohingya communities were not easy,” and “it's important to engage the Arakan army in order for the full respect of the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine.”
On sanctions on the Myanmar regime, Guterres said they are “one possible instrument, but acknowledged that it would be “difficult to obtain a Security Council approval.”
He said it was “essential to increase the pressure of all the neighbours in relation to Myanmar, in order to guarantee that the fighting ends and that a way towards democracy is finally established.”
On Friday, Guterres visited the refugee camps in southern Cox’s Bazar, meeting with Rohingya refugees and participating in an Iftar meal with them and members of the host community in the evening.
During his visit, the Secretary-General also met with top officials including Chief Adviser Yunus; Foreign Adviser Md. Towhid Hossain; and Khalilur Rahman, High Representative on Rohingya Issues. He also met with Bangladeshi youth representatives and members of the civil society.
Today in Dhaka, he visited the newly established UN Common Premises in Gulshan, participated in a UN flag-raising ceremony, and viewed a photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-UN relations.
Guterres also participated in a roundtable discussion with youth representatives and attended an Iftar dinner event with Yunus.
