Finance Minister seeks UN’s support to create ‘Safe Zone’ to solve Rohingya crisis

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has sought the utmost cooperation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for creating of a safe zone in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposal for a quick and permanent solution to Rohingya crisis.

The finance minister made the call when he met Secretary General at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, said a press release of Bangladesh's permanent mission to the United Nations.

Muhith invited Antonio Guteress to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible.

During the meeting, the UN chief highly appreciated Bangladesh for sheltering Rohingya and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her government and the people of Bangladesh for the humanitarian effort.

Antonio Guteress said he has been observing the Rohingya issue closely and told the finance minister that he is highly impressed with the humanitarian assistance Bangladesh has been extending for a long time despite being an overpopulated country.

He assured the finance minister of extending the highest cooperation from the UN in this regard and said that the UN is doing all that is necessary for a solution to the problem.

Antonio Guterres also mentioned his talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the matter during the recently concluded 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

He also told the finance minister that the UN would continue to play a role in assisting Bangladesh and other countries for facing the adverse impact of climate change.

Muhith described the UN reform programmes as a timely initiative and requested the UN secretary general to take steps so that the reforms can help least developed countries achieve progress.

The finance minister expected that the UN would play its highest role to ensure financial and other assistance for the countries, including Bangladesh, which is on the way of graduating to the next step from the LDCs.

Making a short focus on the Bangladesh's development trend, Muhith said Bangladesh had been working to formulate a plan and implement it before formal declaration of SDGs that has taken Bangladesh a step ahead in facing the challenges of the SDGs.

In the world, Bangladesh has set up an example in eliminating poverty through implementing different programmes under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Muhith added.

Bangladesh's permanent representative to the UN and ambassador Masud Bin Momen, Economic Relations Division secretary Kazi Shafiul Azam, Planning Commission member Shamsul Alam and economic minister of Bangladesh mission Iqbal Abdullah Harun were present at the meeting, among others.

Muhith also separately met UNDP administrator Achim Stainer and UN Under Secretary General and chief of the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Fekitamoeloa Katoa.