Muhammad Yunus Highlights Rohingya Crisis and July Movement’s Historic Significance in UNGA Address

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, delivered a speech on Friday at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he called for a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis, emphasized the urgent need for increased international funding, and highlighted the historic significance of Bangladesh’s July 2024 movement before world leaders.

On the Rohingya issue, the Chief Adviser said, “Due to a severe funding shortfall, maintaining even a minimum standard of living in Rohingya camps has become extremely difficult. The World Food Programme has already warned that unless new funds are secured immediately, monthly rations will be cut in half—dropping to just $6 per person—pushing the Rohingya population into hunger and malnutrition.”

He urged the international community to ensure fresh and increased contributions beyond the existing funds and to exert pressure on the Myanmar government and other stakeholders in Rakhine to reach a swift political solution. Yunus also warned that the ongoing conflict in Myanmar threatens not only regional stability but also the prospects of a safe and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya.

Yunus stressed that the process of marginalizing the Rohingya must no longer continue. Discriminatory policies and practices must be dismantled, and equal rights, citizenship, and political participation for the Rohingya must be guaranteed. He expressed hope that the upcoming High-Level Rohingya Conference on September 30 would prioritize resource mobilization and produce a concrete roadmap for a sustainable resolution.

At the same time, the Chief Adviser used the UNGA platform to draw global attention to a key chapter in Bangladesh’s political history—the July 2024 Movement. He reminded the international community how a student-led mass movement toppled the Awami League government and marked the beginning of a new era in Bangladesh’s democracy.

“The youth and people of Bangladesh, through unity, sacrifice, and struggle, created a new Bangladesh,” Yunus said. “This historic achievement represents not just a political shift, but a source of new inspiration for future generations.”

His speech attracted international attention and encouraged world leaders to reconsider Bangladesh’s recent political transformation and the challenges it faces moving forward.