On the eve of the Victory Day, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis on Thursday said  the United Nations stands with Bangladesh in partnership and wished all Bangladeshi nationals, in the country and abroad a very happy Victory Day.

“Bangladesh’s achievements in human development and disaster response, long before it became a middle-income country, made it an example for other countries to emulate,” she said congratulating Bangladesh on Victory Day.

Read more: Bangladesh set to celebrate Victory Day Friday

On 16 December, Bangladesh will celebrate its 51st anniversary of Victory Day.

The country has been on an extraordinary voyage from being a war and famine-ravaged newborn nation, to its current standing as a United Nations member state standing at the threshold of LDC graduation, and providing shelter to nearly a million Rohingya refugees, Lewis said.   

“Bangladesh too has contributed to shaping the UN’s development agenda and peace operations globally. Bangladesh has also been a vocal advocate for multilateralism, climate justice and the interests of least developed countries,” she said.

Bangladesh sponsored the Culture of Peace resolution that was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1999.

Read more: Indian war veterans to join Bangladesh’s Victory Day celebrations in Dhaka

And it was thanks to Bangladesh’s advocacy that the UN General Assembly recognized the International Mother Language Day in 2008.

“Bangladesh’s advocacy internally for the rights of the most vulnerable, and its constitution illustrates the country’s determination to be a democracy in which fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect for the dignity and worth of the human person shall be guaranteed,” said the UNRC.

The UN has been a partner of the government and the people of Bangladesh since its birth. Starting with UNHCR in 1971, 22 UN agencies now have operations in the country.

“Wishing everyone a happy Victory Day!,” Lewis said.