National Dialogue on Rohingya Policy to be Held in Dhaka Ahead of UNGA 2025

Dhaka, September 16, 2025: A major national dialogue on Bangladesh’s Rohingya policy will be held tomorrow, September 17, in Dhaka under the title “Working Towards a National Consensus on Bangladesh’s Rohingya Policy: A Strategic Dialogue Ahead of UNGA 2025.” The day-long event is being organized by Neeti Gobeshona Kendra at the ATM Shamsul Haque Auditorium of CIRDAP.

Inaugural Session and Guests
The inaugural session will begin at 10.00 AM with remarks from Professor Sk. Tawfique M. Haque, Director of the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG), North South University. Lt. General (Retd) Abdul Hafiz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, will attend as Chief Guest. Special guests include Malaysian High Commissioner Mohd Shuhada Othman, Peter Kern, Head of Sub-Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Cox’s Bazar, and Nurul Islam, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA).

The keynote presentation will be delivered by former ambassador Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, who earlier represented Bangladesh at the UN Offices in Geneva.

Voices of International Community and Civil Society
From 11.20 AM to 1.15 PM, representatives from the international community, UN agencies, NGOs, and civil society will discuss the Rohingya crisis and explore options for the way forward. The roundtable will be moderated by Dr. Mahbubul Haque of the University Sultan Zainul Abedin, Malaysia.

Interaction with Political Parties
In the afternoon, representatives from six to eight political parties of Bangladesh are expected to participate in a policy-focused roundtable moderated by Professor Tawfique M. Haque. The session will address how political consensus can shape the future of Bangladesh’s Rohingya policy.

Dhaka Declaration Expected
The dialogue will close with the presentation of key recommendations under what is being called the Dhaka Declaration. The final session will include remarks from Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Dr. Khalilur Rahman, National Security Adviser of Bangladesh. The event will end with a vote of thanks from Dr. Khan Sarifuzzaman, Research Fellow of Neeti Gobeshona Kendra.

Organizers say the Dhaka Declaration is expected to signal a consolidated national stance on the Rohingya issue ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.