By Staff Correspondent, Dhaka – Bangladesh has called upon the international community to resolve conflicts through dialogue, diplomacy, and mutual cooperation to establish global humanity and world peace.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made the call in his speech at the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
His call came at a time when the impact of armed conflicts in the Middle East and parts of Europe has made life difficult in almost all parts of the world.
The Bangladeshi Prime Minister also reaffirmed his country's support for all United Nations initiatives.
"Today, I reaffirm Bangladesh's support for any initiative of the United Nations aimed at establishing global humanity and world peace," he said.
He added that human-made conflicts had created unrest in many countries, resulting in large-scale displacement and humanitarian crises, while wars and conflicts were also putting severe pressure on the world economy.
Referring to energy security crises, disruptions in the global energy supply system, and rising inflation due to recent conflicts, the Prime Minister said: "Any conflict should be resolved through dialogue, diplomatic processes, and mutual cooperation."
Equality, fairness, protection of mutual interests, and respect and dignity should form the basis of bilateral or multilateral relations among states in conflict, he said.
"We aspire to a peaceful world, a humane global community where, rather than nuclear weapons, reason and debate, diplomacy, education, and humanity become the instruments of change," he said.
Bangladesh viewed the United Nations as the centre of efforts to establish an understanding-based global community that respects the independence and sovereignty of one another, added Tarique Rahman.
He said the tendency in various countries to divert development budgets towards military expenditure was an obstacle to world peace.
"As a peace-loving nation, Bangladesh remains committed to the goal of complete and general disarmament, preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and arms control," he said.
He also reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to multilateralism in maintaining international peace and security, saying the theme of the current UNGA — "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All" — was highly relevant and timely in the prevailing global situation.
Bangladesh, as Vice-Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, continued to act as a strong voice for sustainable peace, conflict prevention, and inclusive peacebuilding, he said.
He highlighted Bangladesh's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions, saying Bangladeshi soldiers were engaged in serving humanity in different countries.
He said the participation of Bangladeshi women in peacekeeping missions, despite adverse circumstances, reflected Bangladesh's strong commitment to advancing the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda.
On Palestine, Tarique Rahman said the people of Bangladesh, who cherish democracy, were deeply concerned about the suffering of the freedom-seeking Palestinian people.
"Bangladesh reaffirms its unwavering support for their legitimate demands, including their right to self-determination and their right to establish an independent State of Palestine," he said.
The Prime Minister also called for international support for the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, saying Bangladesh had been providing shelter to more than 1.2 million Rohingyas for more than nine years.
He said the only solution to the Rohingya crisis was their safe return to their homeland in Myanmar.
Tarique Rahman called upon the United Nations and the international community to continue life-saving assistance programmes for the Rohingyas until their repatriation.
He also called for stronger global cooperation to protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of migrants. "Bangladesh expects stronger global cooperation to ensure the rights, dignity, and welfare of migrants," he said.
Tarique Rahman said migration was as old as human civilisation and that migrants were making important contributions to the economies of both their countries of origin and destination.
Bangladesh remained committed to ensuring regular, safe, and orderly migration, he said, reiterating Bangladesh's support for a peaceful and humane global community based on dialogue, mutual respect, diplomacy, and cooperation.
On domestic issues, the Prime Minister highlighted his government's initiatives to reestablish democracy in Bangladesh and ensure people's welfare. This was Rahman's first address to the UNGA after he was elected Prime Minister in the February general elections following a mass uprising in 2024 that brought a political changeover in Bangladesh.
