Bangladesh

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Honorable President,

Assalamu Alaikum and good afternoon!

On the occasion of the eighth decade of the UN Charter, I congratulate all the member states present in this great assembly. This session is especially important both for creating a vision of the past and a blueprint for the future.

Over the past eight decades, the United Nations has continuously expanded its scope of work and become more deeply engaged in various fields. In promoting world peace and security, human rights, the improvement of the quality of life of people worldwide, justice, equity and equality, the UN has played an indispensable role. Because of the UN, it has today become possible to provide emergency food and basic humanitarian assistance to nearly 130 million vulnerable people in 120 countries of the world, and to vaccinate 45 percent of children.

Through multilateral cooperation, UN agencies have stood by distressed people in every corner of the world, supplying food, clean water, sanitation, vaccines and other life-saving services and supplies.

At the same time, over the past few decades we have also witnessed the UN's limitations in resolving inter-state conflicts and tackling many global challenges. Yet, on the whole, the UN's role has been positive and beneficial for humankind.

Honorable President,

Last year, I stood before this great assembly to tell you of the aspiration for transformation of a country that had just experienced a mass uprising. Today I will tell you how far we have been able to advance on this journey of transformation.

About three out of every 100 people in the world live in Bangladesh. But we do not need to know this history because of that, or because Bangladesh occupies an important geopolitical position in the world — that is not it.

Rather, this narrative of Bangladesh is important because it will build confidence in the extraordinary capacity of ordinary people.

This narrative is important because it will instill hope among all the countries of the world — that however deep a crisis may be, or however impossible its resolution may seem, the path out of it is never lost.

Honorable President,

Bangladesh was born in 1971 through a bloody struggle for the demands of equality, human dignity and social justice. But the rights for which we made enormous sacrifices were repeatedly obstructed over the following five decades. Time and again, under the leadership of our young people, our people made countless sacrifices to reinstate those rights.

This year we observed the first anniversary of the "July mass uprising" — an uprising in which our youth defeated autocracy, enabling us to begin anew the journey of building a society free of discrimination and founded on justice. The responsibility of fulfilling this aspiration was entrusted to me and my colleagues. Reconstructing a broken state apparatus to fulfil the people's aspirations required extensive institutional reform. Given the enormous public support through which we received this responsibility, the easy path for us would have been to carry out reforms by executive order. But we did not choose the easy path — we chose the difficult one: an inclusive and sustainable path.

Our goal was to build a balanced, democratic state structure — where no autocrat could ever again emerge, where no elected leader could undermine the democratic character of the state, and where the protectors of the state and the people could never be turned into predators.

To carry out the necessary reforms in all nationally important areas — including governance, the judiciary, the electoral system, public administration, maintenance of law and order, anti-corruption efforts, and women's rights — we established 11 independent reform commissions. These commissions solicited public opinion and, following in-depth review, recommended detailed reform measures.

To implement these reform recommendations sustainably, we formed a National Consensus Commission, which held discussions with more than 30 political parties and alliances. The Commission's goal was to build a sustainable social commitment to the reform proposals, across party lines. This inclusive step of ours succeeded. On the first anniversary of the July mass uprising, standing together with the political parties on the same stage, we all jointly expressed, through the "July Declaration," our time-bound commitment to this reform agenda. That is to say, whichever party wins the people's support in the upcoming election, there will be no more uncertainty in implementing the reform agenda.

As you know, we are preparing to hold national elections in February of next year. Alongside this, to ensure transparency, accountability and the rule of law, we are continuing citizen-friendly reforms without interruption.

Honorable President,

Within a few weeks of taking office last year, I invited the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to uncover the picture of the human rights violations and atrocities committed by the fallen autocratic regime. They conducted a field-level investigation and, alongside a detailed report, also gave recommendations so that such crimes are not repeated in the future, which we have incorporated into our national reform programme.

Last year, before the General Assembly session, we acceded to the International Convention against enforced disappearance. Work is now under way to enact the necessary legislation to implement its provisions at the national level. This year, we acceded to the Optional Protocol of the UN Convention against Torture, and we are working to establish an independent preventive national institutional mechanism for its implementation.

To build the technical assistance needed to move from a repressive authoritarian system toward a democratic state structure that protects human rights, we have approved a three-year mission of the UN Human Rights Commissioner's office in our country, which has already begun its work.

All these steps and commitments of ours are a reflection of the people's expectations. And this expectation is essentially the expectation of building a democratic, inclusive and pluralistic society.

Honorable President,

At the centre of our development strategy lies good governance, social inclusion, and sustainable development.

Over the past decade and a half of experience, we have seen that without accountability, any development is short-lived and fragile. Infrastructure projects undertaken for political self-interest and corruption not only put pressure on the economy, but bring no benefit to the people either. After taking office, we discovered one by one that corruption and the theft of public wealth had spread extensively, and as a result the country's overall economic condition had become dangerously fragile and brittle.

We are putting an end to this, so that development can never again be used as a pretext for embezzling public wealth. To strengthen the country's fragile economic situation, we have taken some difficult but necessary reform decisions.

One of the most important reforms is the reform of revenue collection management — where legislation has been enacted to separate the policy-making body from the implementing body. Through this, transparency and accountability will be ensured, and revenue collection will increase. These initiatives are consistent with the Seville Commitment adopted at the recently concluded FFD4 conference.

We hope that just as Bangladesh is trying to carry out reforms in line with the Seville Commitment, the developed world too will be sincere in fulfilling its responsibilities in accordance with its collective commitment under Seville.

At the same time, we believe that reform of the decision-making process and management of global financial institutions in the international financing system, an inclusive global framework for international tax cooperation, and concerted global action against illicit financial flows and corruption, as well as increased international cooperation in recovering illegally acquired and laundered assets, are all extremely important.

Honorable President,

Recovering the illegal assets laundered out of the country is currently one of our top priorities. Over the past 15 years, hundreds of billions of dollars have been illegally laundered abroad through corruption. We are tirelessly trying to bring back these assets. But the legal processes of the relevant countries and various other obstacles are hampering this effort. Without the firm goodwill of the relevant countries, we will not succeed in recovering the illegally laundered assets. The world's existing economic system is failing to effectively prevent this illegal laundering of assets from developing countries. In some cases, the regulations of international financial institutions are encouraging the transfer of vast amounts of illicit funds to various tax havens worldwide.

Therefore, I call upon those countries and institutions that are providing the opportunity to keep this laundered wealth deposited, not to become complicit in this crime — to return these assets to their rightful owners, that is, to farmers, workers and ordinary taxpayers. I propose the enactment of strict international rules and regulations to prevent the laundering of assets from developing countries, and the assurance of their enforcement.

Honorable President,

Alongside the historic reform of the revenue sector, we have introduced a market-based currency exchange rate, brought discipline and stability through an asset quality review in the banking sector, a new bank resolution ordinance and a deposit protection ordinance; we have modernized oversight through capital market reform task forces and a stronger investigation system. Digital tendering has been made mandatory in government procurement, and disclosure of conflicts of interest has been made mandatory. Alongside this, accountability has been further strengthened through a new Public Accounts Audit Ordinance. Rather than confining ourselves to achieving financial stability alone, we are building an investment-friendly environment: Bangladesh Single Window now integrates 19 agencies to simplify the customs process; a specialized commercial court has been established for the swift resolution of commercial disputes; the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has formed a coordination committee to provide one-stop service seamlessly, bringing regulatory authorities under one roof, and simplifying the visa and work permit process; and the FDI heat-map and the National Semiconductor Task Force are transparently and easily presenting to investors information on high-potential sectors. Trade logistics has also improved — at Chattogram port, container handling grew by 27.6 percent last August, marking a notable improvement in efficiency. These initiatives are strengthening both economic governance and making investment safer. As a result of these reforms, Bangladesh has now entered a new phase of sustainable and inclusive investment and economic growth.

Alongside this, our expatriates have made an important contribution behind our economic recovery in such a short time. Working hard on foreign soil, they are sending record amounts of remittances home every month.

Their enormous contribution is not limited to Bangladesh alone — they also contribute greatly to their host countries. They provide much-needed services there. This is therefore beneficial for us as much as it is for the host countries. It is advantageous for both countries.

In this connection, I want to inform you that we are moving forward with labour rights reform. A committee has already been formed to implement the recommendations of the independent Labour Reform Commission; amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Act is at its final stage, which includes simplifying the trade union process, increasing maternity leave, and expanding social security for workers in both the formal and informal sectors. An online registration system for trade unions has been introduced, and making the registration process even simpler is under consideration. Alongside this, as a demonstration of our commitment to protecting workers' rights, we have recently also signed the Statute of the Labour Centre of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

For this reason, we support safe, orderly and regular migration, and call upon the countries to which our migrant workers go to ensure empathy and protection for them.

While the developed world suffers from the pressure of an ageing population, Bangladesh is fortunate in this regard — more than 60 percent of our people are under the age of 35. Therefore, easing the migration process would benefit both sides. By leveraging this advantage of a young population, we will be able to help solve the labour problems and needs of the developed world.

Honorable President,

Bangladesh's young generation has already proven that it is the driving force of social change. We are investing in developing their skills — training them in various fields including information technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly technology. Our goal is to build every young person into an entrepreneur, not merely a job-seeker.

To this end, in partnership with the United Nations, we are establishing a permanent mechanism to connect young people at the grassroots level with the government's top policymakers. Multiple consultation meetings have already been held across the country on this. Today's youth want to be directly connected with their elected representatives in decision-making from the local to the national level — through online and offline forums, surveys and campaigns. They want more opportunities for leadership development, skills enhancement, and digital capability building. They want accountability built into this process — regular progress reports and a commitment to continuous dialogue. Above all, they want the process to be inclusive, so that women, minority communities, persons with disabilities, and marginalized populations all have equal opportunity for participation and leadership.

This year is especially significant in terms of planning for young people, because this year we are observing the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth.

This year has given us an opportunity not only to address the challenges facing today's generation of young people, but also to anticipate the crises and problems they will face in the future, and to find possible solutions for them.

In this age of rapidly changing technology, the risk of an even deeper digital divide forming for the youth of the developing world is today a major concern for us. Quantum computing, artificial intelligence, large language models, or modern communication systems — we must today ensure that these technologies are not biased, and that their benefits reach everyone equitably.

Otherwise, there is a risk of a generation forming worldwide that considers itself deprived, marginalized, and a victim of injustice and inequity. They will become easy targets for all kinds of harmful temptations.

We believe that spreading the benefits of technological development worldwide to keep young people free of risk requires not just technological innovation, but social innovation as well.

Nearly half a century ago, we introduced the concept of microcredit. At that time it was a revolutionary departure from conventional thinking — but today it is recognized worldwide as a mainstream tool. Microcredit has freed millions upon millions of people from poverty. For example, in the United States, Grameen America now disburses more than six billion dollars annually in loans to low-income women entrepreneurs, and nearly 100 percent of it is being repaid regularly.

In Bangladesh and across the world, we are today spreading the concept of "social business." This is a business whose entire profit is reinvested in social welfare. "Social business" has proven that the entrepreneurial capacity within every human being can be harnessed for social welfare and for solving social problems. As a result, a creative method for solving all of the world's problems comes into everyone's hands — be it an environmental problem, a problem of wealth concentration, a health problem, an unemployment problem, or a poverty problem — this method can be applied and made sustainable for all of them.

Honorable President,

In tackling the climate crisis, the global target of limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius has today slipped out of our hands. The promise of $100 billion a year in climate assistance has also not been fulfilled. Rather, whatever small amount of funds is allocated is, on paper, being shown as multiplied many times over. This is entirely unacceptable.

For the future of our children, we must take effective measures now. The "Loss and Damage Fund" must be made fully operational. Just as mitigation efforts to reduce the adverse effects of climate change must be increased, adaptation must be given equal importance. And adaptation efforts must be locally determined and locally led. Bangladesh has already adopted locally-led adaptation as its core policy. At the upcoming COP-30 conference, we will announce our national commitment for the third time to combat climate change, in which, alongside mitigation targets, adaptation initiatives will also be included — with particular emphasis on mangrove forest protection and wetland restoration. At the same time, we hope that the global community, especially the high-carbon-emitting countries, will sincerely fulfil their responsibilities.

Honorable President,

Another major challenge of the present time is the rise of protectionism in world trade. In our time, we have seen that the benefits of trade and globalization have freed nearly one billion people from poverty in just three decades. If we now walk backward, our children will no longer have that opportunity.

It is undeniable that in the field of trade, every country's sovereign interest must be protected, and no country should be made to bear a burden beyond its capacity. But for global peace and prosperity to be sustained, there is no alternative to open, fair and rules-based global trade. Moreover, global trade must rapidly expand the reach of social business. A large part of development assistance must be increasingly directed worldwide toward expanding social business.

My generation has seen how an interdependent global economic system has made any conflict costly, and has helped preserve world peace. Today more than 120 armed conflicts are under way worldwide — if that mutual economic interdependence breaks down, such conflicts will only increase, development will be disrupted, and world peace will be destroyed.

Honorable President,

The ongoing conflict in our neighbouring country, Myanmar, has created a deeply worrying situation for the entire region. This has not only put regional stability at risk, but has also made repatriation to their homeland, Myanmar, more difficult for the forcibly displaced Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh.

Even after eight years, no solution to the Rohingya crisis is in sight. Moreover, Bangladesh is continually being compelled to shelter Rohingya arriving from Myanmar. Evidently, because of identity-based politics, the denial of rights and persecution of the Rohingya in Rakhine continues unabated.

The process of marginalizing the Rohingya can no longer be allowed to continue. The discriminatory policies and actions that have created today's situation can be addressed and remedial measures taken right now. There is no need to wait for a complete national political settlement for this. A final political solution to the problems of Rakhine is also essential. But for that, an arrangement is needed involving all the ethnic communities concerned in the Rakhine region, one that allows the Rohingya to become part of society with equal rights and citizenship.

The Rohingya are the biggest victims of this crisis, and after them, the largest victim is Bangladesh. But we must remember that the Rohingya crisis is in no way a bilateral matter between Bangladesh and Myanmar. We are simply fulfilling our humanitarian responsibility as a responsible neighbour and a responsible member of the international community.

But due to the funding crisis, today our joint efforts to maintain even a minimum standard of living in the Rohingya camps are on the verge of collapse. The World Food Programme has already warned of a severe funding shortfall in its emergency assistance operations for them. If new funding does not arrive soon, the monthly ration may be cut in half, down to just 6 US dollars per person, which will plunge the Rohingya into hunger and malnutrition, which could force them to take desperate measures. Excessive cuts in funding will undoubtedly multiply security and safety risks manifold, which could spill beyond the boundaries of the camps. I therefore call upon existing donors to increase their assistance, and upon potential new donors to provide grants, so that this disastrous situation can be avoided.

Beyond the new and increased funding needed for humanitarian assistance, the international community must exert pressure on the Myanmar government or other stakeholders in Rakhine for positive change and a swift political solution. Neighbouring countries too must fulfil their responsibilities. Bangladesh stands ready to cooperate with any joint effort by the international community to bring stability to Rakhine.

We hope that the upcoming high-level conference on 30 September will build strong global resolve and ensure realistic international assistance for the Rohingya, with resource mobilization receiving the highest priority. At the same time, we hope that an international roadmap will be adopted, and that through time-bound action planning, a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis will be found.

Honorable President,

Not only Myanmar — this year, we have witnessed conflict in almost every corner of the world — Europe, South Asia, or the Middle East.

We live in one of the most densely populated regions of the world. Nowhere else in the world do so many nuclear-armed states exist in such close proximity to one another. We therefore deeply appreciate the importance of disarmament and the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

We strongly demand the revival of the global arms-control treaties that have weakened over time. We especially call for the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Middle East and South Asia. At the same time, with full transparency, we support every country's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

As a responsible country, even before commissioning our first nuclear power plant, this year we acceded to the joint convention on nuclear safety and radioactive waste management under the International Atomic Energy Agency. Through this accession, we reaffirm our commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety and transparency.

Honorable President,

I have always given people a message of hope; I have never supported doing anything by frightening people. But today I must step away from that and say something alarming. Today I am sounding a warning — extreme nationalism, geopolitics that harms others, and indifference to others' misfortune and suffering are destroying the progress we have achieved through decades of hard work.

The most heart-wrenching picture of this we have seen in Gaza. Children are dying prematurely of starvation, civilian populations are being killed indiscriminately, hospitals, schools and an entire populated area are being wiped out. We agree with the UN's independent commission of inquiry that an indiscriminate genocide is taking place before our very eyes; it is our misfortune that we are not making our utmost effort, on behalf of humanity, to end it. If this situation continues, future generations and history will not forgive us.

On behalf of the people of Bangladesh and the conscientious citizens of the world, I once again forcefully demand that a two-state solution to this problem be implemented right now, through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Justice will be fully realized only on the basis of the pre-1967 boundaries, where Israel and Palestine will coexist peacefully.

Honorable President,

In Bangladesh, we believe that we must build a culture of peace — where the values of tolerance, non-violence, dialogue and cooperation are established in everything. For the past three and a half decades, our participation as one of the leading troop-contributing countries to the UN's peacekeeping missions is a real testament to our unwavering commitment to global peace and security. Even at this very moment, nearly 6,000 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are serving under the UN in the world's most conflict-ridden regions, and to date a total of 168 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out their duties.

Multiple studies have repeatedly proven that the UN's peacekeeping programme is more sustainable and effective than any unilateral peacekeeping initiative. Therefore, in order to preserve the continuity and effectiveness of the world's peacekeeping programme, we demand a clear and realistic mandate for peacekeeping missions, and adequate budget allocation. The safety of peacekeepers and accountability for crimes committed against them should also be given the highest priority.

Bangladesh actively encourages multilingualism at home and in the international arena, because we believe that linguistic and cultural diversity deepens mutual understanding further. In the 21st century, there is no place in any society for hatred, intolerance, racism, xenophobia, or Islamophobia.

Yet at present, disinformation campaigns and hateful rhetoric have become a matter of serious concern. Last year, following the mass uprising of students and the public in Bangladesh, various vested-interest groups deliberately spread misleading news, which continues even now. Compounding this is the spread of pre-planned fake news and AI-driven "deepfakes," which is making the situation even more complicated. We must work together against these — so that these distorted acts do not destroy people's trust in one another, or weaken social harmony.

Honorable President,

Empowerment of women is among our top priorities. In the words of our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam —

"Whatever great and eternally beneficial creation exists in this world, half of it was made by woman, half by man."

Indeed, in the present world, women's contribution in many important fields is more than half. This month, Bangladesh published, for the first time, the "Unpaid Household Production Satellite Account" survey. It shows that women alone perform more than 85 percent of unpaid caregiving and household work, whose monetary value amounts to nearly 16 percent of our gross domestic product. Despite many obstacles, today our girls are succeeding by overcoming barriers everywhere — from the classroom to the boardroom, from the research laboratory to the sports field. Recently, our women's football team won a regional championship, qualified for an inter-Asian competition, and continues to inspire millions of people across the country.

My government's efforts to ensure women's safety, dignity, and equal opportunity remain ongoing.

This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. On this occasion, to further strengthen our commitment to women's empowerment, we have announced four national pledges to be implemented over the next five years under the "Beijing+30 Action Agenda."

These include — enacting laws on the prevention of and protection from sexual harassment, ensuring the recognition and valuation of women's unpaid care and domestic work, increasing women's participation in politics and public life, and strengthening gender-responsive budgeting practices.

Honorable President,

Bangladesh remains committed to regional cooperation on the basis of traditional respect, transparency and mutual welfare. We are advancing regional connectivity and trade through initiatives such as BIMSTEC, BBIN, the ASEAN Highway, and SASEC. At the same time, we have expressed our desire to join an effective regional forum such as ASEAN, and are working toward this end.

We strongly call for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Formed four decades ago, this organization achieved notable progress in its early period and built a strong foundation for regional cooperation. Even after political stagnation, its institutional framework remains functional, and we believe SAARC can still bring welfare to the hundreds of millions of people of our region — just as ASEAN does for the hundreds of millions of people of its region.

There is no alternative to regional cooperation among neighbouring countries for collective development. At the same time, equity and empathy in the use of shared natural resources are absolutely essential. Bangladesh is firmly committed to peaceful regional cooperation on the use of natural resources. That is why, as the first South Asian country, we have recently acceded to the UN Watercourses Convention.

Honorable President,

Centuries upon centuries of political exploitation, plunder of resources, and structural inequality have created today's reality of unequal development.

A decade ago, when we agreed to pursue Agenda 2030, we changed course and were optimistic about moving toward the right goal. But today's reality is that the progress needed to achieve the aspirations of sustainable development has fallen severely behind. The shortfall in development financing is steadily growing, and the flow of development assistance (ODA) is declining. We call upon donor countries to move away from this trend and fulfil their commitments.

We are in the process of graduating from a least-developed country to a developing country. To ensure a smooth and sustainable graduation, the cooperation of the international community, especially the relevant UN agencies, is extremely important. On this, we commend the work of OHRLLS and related agencies. We call for this office to be further strengthened, to provide more effective cooperation to least-developed countries and other at-risk countries.

Along with grants and loans, we also call for social business to be advanced substantially through government and private-sector initiative. This new approach will be beneficial and encouraging for both donor and recipient countries. It will help take creativity to its highest level.

Honorable President,

We commend the UN's contribution to Bangladesh's journey of progress and development. World peace and security, development, and human rights — we reaffirm our full confidence in these three pillars of the UN.

I said at the outset of my remarks that over the past eight decades, the UN has repeatedly shown that multilateral diplomacy helps humankind live together better. Yet, at its 80th anniversary, we must acknowledge that multilateral diplomacy today faces many pressures. Frequently, the strain of uneven bilateral relations has again proven that multilateral diplomacy remains our last and best hope. Therefore, to keep the UN — the bearer and standard-bearer of multilateral diplomacy — vibrant, we call for full transparency and sincere dialogue with member states.

To meet the demands of the present time and to fulfil our collective aspiration for multilateralism, the UN must continuously evolve and adapt. In this spirit, we welcome the Secretary-General's UN80 initiative. But at the same time, I want to stress firmly that reform must not weaken multilateralism, nor neglect the voice of the developing countries. The sole aim of reform should be to bring about real and positive change at the field level.

Honorable President,

Last year, my people proved that the destruction of injustice in this world is inevitable.

They proved that change is possible, and it is also inevitable.

We must remember that no country can face alone the challenges that lie ahead. At the same time, we must also remember that in today's world, if any one country falls into crisis, or if crisis appears anywhere in the world, the security of the entire world is put at risk.

We must move forward with the dream of building a world of Three Zeros. Young people will grow up to be the soldiers of realizing the Three Zeros. Before them will lie zero net carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration, and zero unemployment — on this foundation, they will build their world.

May building a world of Three Zeros be the dream of the entire family of nations — with this wish, I conclude my remarks.

Thank you all.

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