DR. B M SHAHIDUL ISLAM

Our Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that Bangladesh wants to see the United Nations as the center of establishing a consensual world society. In this era of globalization, whatever happens in any part of the world, it has a negative impact on every state to some extent. Therefore, any conflict should be resolved through negotiations, diplomatic processes and mutual cooperation. The Prime Minister made this statement while addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today 24/09/2026. In his speech, the Prime Minister highlighted various issues including the Rohingya crisis and the risks of climate change. The Prime Minister`s full speech approaching here is as follows:

Firstly, the Prime Minister said "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Then he addressed his speech thoroughly. He said, dear President, I congratulate you on your election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. We pledge our full support to you in your tenure as a President. I also thank the outgoing President, Madam Annalena Baerbock, for her able leadership. At the outset, I pay my deepest respects to all the martyred freedom fighters of Bangladesh. I humbly remember the contribution of those who have sacrificed their lives in the struggle to establish democracy, justice and human rights in the country since independence. I also pay my sincere respects to all the martyrs and injured in the mass uprising of the brave student people in July-August 2024 against fascism.The Prime Minister said, Bangladesh is currently free from fascism, following a long movement and struggle of more than a decade and a half against fascist rule and exploitation. In this Bangladesh, in the fair, free and impartial national elections held on February 12 this year, the people have given the responsibility of running the country to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNP.

I congratulate the democracy-loving people of the country. We believe that the people are the source of all our political power. Mr. Tarique Rahman said in the meeting Dear President, Standing on this world stage of the United Nations, I am a little nostalgic today. Standing on this world stage, my father, the martyred President Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of Bangladesh`s independence, and my mother, the late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, gave speeches on behalf of the country and its people. Similarly, today I too stand here in the interests of my country and its people and in the hope of a peaceful world society. In this era of globalization, whatever happens in any part of the world, it has a negative impact on every country to some extent. As a result of the ongoing human-caused conflicts, a turbulent situation has arisen in many countries. A large number of people are being displaced. Humanitarian crises are being created. The world economy is under severe pressure due to wars and conflicts. The economic situation is deteriorating due to the energy security crisis, disruptions in the global energy supply system, and rising inflation. We believe that any conflict should be resolved through negotiations, diplomatic processes, & mutual cooperation.

Equality, fairness, mutual protection of interests and respect and dignity among the conflicting states should be the basis of bilateral or multilateral relations. Our hope is for a peaceful world, a humane world society, where reason, diplomacy, education and humanity will become the tools of change, not weapons of mass destruction. Bangladesh wants to see the United Nations as the center of establishing a consensual world society that respects each other`s independence and sovereignty. The trend of diverting development budgets to the military sector in various countries of the world is an obstacle to world peace. As a peace-loving nation, Bangladesh is committed to the goals of complete and general disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and arms control. Today, I reiterate Bangladesh`s support for any initiative of the United Nations for the establishment of world humanity and world peace and happiness. The democracy-loving people of Bangladesh are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people who are seeking independence. Bangladesh reiterates its steadfast support for their just demands, including the right to self-determination and the right to form an independent Palestinian state.24

He also said, dear President, In the current global situation, the theme of the 81st session of the United Nations, `Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All`, is highly relevant and timely. Bangladesh is steadfast in the principle of multilateralism in maintaining international peace and security. As the Vice-Chair of the `Peace building Commission`, Bangladesh is working as a strong voice for sustainable peace, conflict prevention and inclusive peace. As members of United Nations peacekeeping missions, Bangladeshi peacekeepers are engaged in the service of humanity in different countries of the world. The courageous participation of Bangladeshi women in peacekeeping missions, even in adverse circumstances, is a reflection of Bangladesh`s strong commitment to advancing the agenda of `Women, Peace and Security`. This year, Bangladesh is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the `Declaration on the Right to Development` and the 25th anniversary of the `Durban Declaration and Plan of Action`.

The process of migration is as old as human civilization. In many countries around the world, migrants make significant contributions to the economies of both their homelands and the countries of destination. The Government of Bangladesh is committed to ensuring regular, safe and also orderly migration. Bangladesh hopes for stronger global cooperation in ensuring the rights, dignity and well-being of migrants. He said, Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingyas forcibly displaced from Myanmar for more than nine years. This has put enormous pressure on our resources, environment, security and local people. Populous Bangladesh believes that the source and origin of the Rohingya crisis is in Myanmar; therefore, its solution lies there. The only solution to this problem is the safe return of the displaced Rohingya population to their homeland, Myanmar. Bangladesh expects strong and effective support from the United Nations and the international community for a final solution to this crisis. I also call on the United Nations and the international community to continue their life-saving assistance programs for the displaced Rohingya people until they are repatriated to their homeland, Myanmar. Failure by the international community to ensure justice for the displaced Rohingya people could lead to a humanitarian crisis in the near future. The Prime Minister said, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the negative impacts of climate change. Although Bangladesh does not contribute much to global carbon emissions, it is still facing the adverse impacts of climate change. In this context, Bangladesh has chosen to build resilience by addressing risks.

Therefore, Bangladesh expects stronger global action at COP-31 on climate justice, climate finance and adaptation support. The government has strengthened its environmental protection program in Bangladesh. As part of this, the government has started a program to plant 250 million trees across the country in the next five years. Emphasis has been placed on the use of clean energy and solar energy. A program to dig 20,000 kilometers of canals across the country has been started to free the country from the curse of floods and droughts. Bangladesh has also started implementing the Teesta Master Plan and the Padma Barrage project to increase freshwater flow in the world`s largest mangrove `Sundarbans` and conserve water through large reservoirs. At the same time, the government has signed the 1992 `Water Convention`, reaffirming its commitment to cooperation in transboundary water management, in addition to strengthening domestic measures to conserve water and prevent pollution.

Our Prime Minister said in the general session, After ending the long decade and a half of fascist rule, Bangladesh became free from fascism 5 August in 2024. Freed from the curse of disappearances, murders, kidnappings, corruption, looting and money laundering that became the norm during the fascist regime, Bangladesh is now embarking on the path of democracy again. The government is following the 3-R strategy of Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction to repair Bangladesh, which was damaged by the fascist rule. Bangladesh is currently facing a huge opportunity. The government has started implementing a comprehensive program to transform the working manpower in Bangladesh into skilled human resources, thanks to the demographic dividend. Detailed steps have been taken to create massive employment and develop Bangladesh as a `manufacturing hub`. Bangladesh wants to get its development partners on its side in this endeavor. The government has allocated $50 million in the current fiscal year to create opportunities for the country`s young entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators to implement start-up initiatives. Tarique Rahman said, More than half of the country`s population is women. As a result, women are at the forefront of all the government`s plans for the country`s socio-economic transformation. The government is prioritizing women`s education, women`s employment, and the creation of women entrepreneurs. To create women entrepreneurs, the government has expanded the scope of cash financing for women, especially in the small and medium enterprises sector. Women have been provided with free education up to the graduation level. Not only the democracy of voting, the government also wants to ensure the democratization of the economy so that the benefits of economic growth and prosperity reach every family and every citizen. To achieve that goal, the government has already launched assistance programs for the economically backward people through various social security programs like Family Card, Farmers Card, Sports Card and E-Health Card. The government considers the `family card` issued in the name of the female head of each household as a symbol of women`s economic empowerment. The government also plans to launch a `universal card` by combining the cards introduced to support each sector.

The government is implementing the 31-point program presented to the people ahead of the national elections on February 12 this year. At least 73 percent of the current government`s 31-point program`s activities are directly related to the UN`s SDG theme of `Leave No One Behind` and 27 percent of its activities are indirectly related to it. The government hopes that through the implementation of these programs, the development gap between urban and rural areas will be eliminated and at the same time, it will be possible to advance accountable and inclusive sustainable development in all areas of the 2030 Agenda. The Bangladesh government has given special importance to education, health and sports. For the first time in the country`s history, the highest budget has been allocated to the education sector. There is a plan to increase the GDP in the education sector to 5 percent in phases over the next 5 years. To ensure a work-oriented education system with ethical standards, the education curriculum has been formulated with emphasis on technical and practical education. Bags and clothes, i.e. school uniforms and free midday meals, are being provided to primary school students from class one onwards. The government hopes that this will increase the school enrolment rate and the quality of education in schools. Sports have also been included as a subject in the education syllabus for the first time to establish sports as a profession. As part of this, more than 2 million students participated in a month-long football tournament organized across the country with school students in June. He said to the guests and audience, Science and technology will shape the future of the world. We are entering a new era of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and science. Technology is advancing very rapidly, but its opportunities are still not equal for everyone. Bangladesh`s large young population and growing digital capabilities have created new possibilities before us. To harness this potential, advanced technology, knowledge and research opportunities must be made accessible to everyone. We do not want today`s digital divide to become tomorrow`s artificial intelligence divide. Bangladesh respects innovation and intellectual property. At the same time, it is important to ensure technology transfer, skill development, and affordable access to modern technology for developing countries. No country should be left behind in this advancement of science. Bangladesh is ready to work together to build a just and prosperous future for all. The need of the hour is for the United Nations to adopt an effective policy in this regard so that the benefits of the development and rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and social media can be used positively in each country. Tarique Rahman said, Bangladesh is awaiting graduation from the `least developed country` category. For Bangladesh as well as all other countries, sustained support in areas such as secured financing, greater market access, technology transfer and capacity building is essential to make this transition process sustainable. In the current global system, every country is dependent on each other. Bangladesh believes that we can help each other achieve prosperity through effective communication systems and meaningful cooperation, especially at the regional level, through trade facilitation and expansion. The Covid pandemic took the lives of billions of people around the world. However, it has sent a message to the world that for the global community to survive, mutual support, compassion, and cooperation are essential. It is important to ensure sustainable production of vaccines, medical supplies, and diagnostic tools in developing countries. So that they are easily accessible to everyone.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said to the world leaders, "A state can never become strong by leaving its citizens powerless". By ensuring the political and economic empowerment of the people, we want to establish a prosperous, self-reliant, welfare-based democratic state in which everyone, regardless of party affiliation, religion, or caste, will be able to live in peace, security, and equal rights, respect, and dignity. He said honourable guests and audience, Bangladesh continues to make progress in all areas of democracy, human rights, good governance, accountability, political stability, and investment climate. The government is working to establish a safe and stable Bangladesh that is conducive to business and investment. In today`s democratic Bangladesh, we welcome partnership innovation and domestic and foreign investment. We want to build a Bangladesh where young people can find a way to realize their dreams without fear and hindrance, women can lead their lives with confidence, every child grows up with the opportunity to develop their full potential, and above all, the people are assured of a safe and peaceful life. That is why we say `Bangladesh First: Bangladesh for All`. I conclude my speech by reiterating Bangladesh`s unwavering support for all the principles and values ​​of the United Nations in establishing world peace. At the last of all our Prime Minister said, Bangladesh always support all the rules and regulations of the United Nations according to our capacity.

According to the address of our Prime Minister Tarique Rahman our political specialist thinking about it, Bangladesh will be fill out target and reaching to the goals for a near future. I think, if the commitment of The Prime Minister is real Bangladesh will be a reach and development country very soon. We expect that our country will be a economic progressable country.

Author: Researcher and Columnist.