United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus returned home on Thursday morning, concluding a nine-day visit marked by extensive engagements during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). An Emirates Airlines commercial flight carrying the Chief Adviser and his small entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9am. Prof Yunus left New York on Tuesday night (US time) for Dhaka via Dubai. Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury saw him off at John F Kennedy International Airport, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. Prof Yunus began his UNGA tour on September 22 and concluded it by attending the high-level conference on the “Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities” held at the UN General Assembly Hall on Tuesday. Prof Yunus to return home Thursday morning He delivered his address at the 80th UNGA on September 26 and held a series of meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the session. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Jamaat’s US spokesperson Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, National Citizen Party member secretary Akhter Hossen, and first senior joint member secretary Dr Tasnim Jara joined the delegation at Prof Yunus’s invitation. Speaking broadly at the UNGA, Prof Yunus warned, the “truth before us is frightening” and stressed that “extreme nationalism, geopolitics that thrive on the suffering of others, and indifference to human pain are destroying the progress humanity has built through decades of struggle”. This tragedy is most visible in Gaza, he said, adding that the two-State solution must be implemented now. Prof Yunus described three goals on which young people must be able to build the future: zero carbon, zero wealth concentration and zero unemployment. “Let the dream of a three-zero world be the dream of all nations.”  

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who arrived in Dubai International Airport on Wednesday evening, is scheduled to reach home on Thursday morning. An Emirates Airlines commercial flight carrying the Chief Adviser and his small entourage is scheduled to take off from the Dubai International Airport at 2am on Thursday (Dubai time). The Chief Adviser is scheduled to return home before 9am on Thursday (Dhaka time). Prof Yunus left New York on Tuesday night (US time) for Dhaka, concluding a nine-day visit marked by extensive engagements during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). An Emirates Airlines commercial flight carrying the Chief Adviser and his small entourage took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport at 11:10 pm (US time). Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury saw him off at the airport, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. Prof Yunus began his UNGA tour on September 22 and concluded it by attending the high-level conference on the “Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities” held at the UN General Assembly Hall on Tuesday. Prof Yunus leaves New York for Dhaka He delivered his address at the 80th UNGA on September 26 and held a series of meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the session. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Jamaat’s US spokesperson Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, National Citizen Party member secretary Akhter Hossen, and first senior joint member secretary Dr Tasnim Jara joined the delegation at Prof Yunus’ invitation. Speaking broadly at the UNGA, Prof Yunus warned, the “truth before us is frightening” and stressed that “extreme nationalism, geopolitics that thrive on the suffering of others, and indifference to human pain are destroying the progress humanity has built through decades of struggle”. This tragedy is most visible in Gaza, he said, adding that the two-State solution must be implemented now. Prof Yunus described three goals on which young people must be able to build the future: zero carbon, zero wealth concentration and zero unemployment. “Let the dream of a three-zero world be the dream of all nations.”

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has called for urgent international action to end the Israeli occupation and violence in Palestine. He attended the annual coordination meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers, held on the sidelines of the 80th UNGA high-level Week at UN Headquarters on Friday (US time). In his statement, the Foreign Affairs Adviser highlighted Bangladesh’s principled position on the question of Palestine. He underlined Bangladesh’s contributions to the OIC’s ‘Ten-Year Programme of Action’ and stressed the need for effective reforms, enhanced resource mobilization and implementation-oriented cooperation within the OIC framework. The meeting provided a platform for the Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States to coordinate their positions on issues of common concern.

Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder dismissed as baseless the claims circulating on social media that the Bangladesh delegation was present in the UN General Assembly Hall during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech, calling them “propaganda of the fallen forces.” “Lies are their only recourse now,” he said, emphasising Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’s official engagements on Friday morning, ahead of his address at the 80th UNGA. Azad said the Chief Adviser had two pre-scheduled programmes that morning. The first was a meeting with officials of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, an international platform comprising former presidents and prime ministers of various countries, held at the hotel at 9am (New York time). The second was a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, which took place at the UN Headquarters at 10:30am. “When the Bangladesh delegation, led by the Chief Adviser, entered the General Assembly Hall after these meetings, the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, was delivering his speech,” Azad came up with the evidence. Prof Yunus delivers a 'powerful call' for justice, reform, renewed international solidarity He said the speeches of the Prime Ministers of Israel, Pakistan, and China had already concluded well before the Bangladesh delegation entered the Assembly Hall. As the Israeli leader spoke, unintelligible shouts echoed around the hall, while applause came from supporters in the gallery. Many seats were vacant; by Iran’s empty chairs stood a compilation of photos of children that Tehran said were killed during Israel’s war there in June. Surrounded by critics and protesters at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told fellow world leaders on Friday that his nation “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, giving a defiant speech despite growing international isolation over his refusal to end the devastating war. “Western leaders may have buckled under the pressure,” he said. “And I guarantee you one thing: Israel won’t.” Bhutan proposes signing FTA with Bangladesh Netanyahu’s speech, aimed as much at his increasingly divided domestic audience as the global one, began after dozens of delegates from multiple nations walked out of the U.N. General Assembly hall en masse Friday morning as he began. Responding to countries’ recent decisions to recognize Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu said, “Your disgraceful decision will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere.”

Dozens of global leaders gathered on Friday to meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at his hotel suite in New York, offering their full support to him and his interim government.    They expressed readiness to provide their expertise and assistance to Bangladesh during this pivotal time, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.   The delegation, led by former President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, met Prof Yunus on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.    Vīķe-Freiberga is also co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), named after the renowned 11th-century Persian poet.   The high-profile group included:Borut Pahor, former President of Slovenia, Boris Tadić, former President of Serbia, Egils Levits, former President of Latvia, Charles Michel, President Emeritus of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium, George Papandreou, former Prime Minister of Greece, Rosen Plevneliev and Petar Stoyanov, former Presidents of Bulgaria, Ivo Josipović, former President of Croatia, Mladen Ivanić, former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, former President of Mauritius.   Return wealth to its rightful owners: Prof Yunus    Also in attendance were a former secretary general of Commonwealth, a former deputy Prime Minister of Georgia, four former Presidents of the UN General Assembly, several former foreign ministers, Ismail Serageldin, former Vice President of the World Bank and NGIC co-chair, Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and senior representatives from the IAEA and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said that by sitting together with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the UNGA Hall, leaders of three major political parties sent a strong message to the international community that Bangladesh remains united and committed to moving forward with the national election in a united manner.   “The full presence of six political leaders at the UNGA conveyed the message that we are united and determined to move forward with the elections together. This is a significant message, not only for Bangladesh but also for the entire world,” he said, noting that the country is fully prepared for a democratic transition. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, party leader Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, and its Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara accompanied the Chief Adviser as part of the Bangladesh delegation to the UNGA.   The political leaders highly appreciated the initiative taken by the Chief Adviser.   “It’s a historic day,” said Press Secretary Alam while briefing reporters at a hotel in New York on Friday afternoon (NY time).   Prof Yunus delivers a 'powerful call' for justice, reform, renewed international solidarity   He said they are in the final stage of reform efforts and have already achieved significant progress in many areas.   The political leaders who joined the Chief Adviser during his speech at the UNGA also participated in various sessions, marking their united presence at the United Nations General Assembly.   The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the organisation.    Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations.    Delivering his speech at the 80th UNGA on Friday, delivering a powerful call for justice, reform and renewed international solidarity.   Reflecting on Bangladesh’s transformation since the July Uprising of 2024, Prof Yunus highlighted the decisive role of youth in restoring democracy and inspiring reforms now anchored in the 'July Declaration'.   He underscored progress towards  institutional accountability, preparations for free elections, and comprehensive economic and governance reforms aimed at transparency, stability and investment.   Prof Yunus emphasised Bangladesh’s strong human rights commitments, citing accession to international conventions, cooperation with the UN Human Rights Office, and measures to safeguard against past abuses.   TIB statement on Prof Yunus' UNGA delegation "deeply disappointing": CA's press wing   The Chief Adviser paid tribute to Bangladesh’s expatriate workforce, noting that migrant workers continue to send home record levels of remittances and underlined that their contributions are equally valuable in host countries and at home.   He drew the attention of the Member States to the High Level Conference on Rohingya on 30 September 2025 and urged the global community to step up support for the Rohingyas.    He also strongly condemned the Israeli genocide and called for urgent international action to stop the violence in Gaza, and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unwavering support for a two-state solution. The Chief Adviser reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to women’s empowerment, climate action, youth-driven innovation, equitable sharing of new technologies including AI, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, reform of international financial system to stop money laundering and wealth siphoning from developing countries, fairer sharing of natural resources among countries, UN peacekeeping, and revitalisation of regional organisations and reform of multilateralism.    Prof Yunus presented his vision of a 'three-zero world': zero carbon, zero net wealth concentration to end poverty and zero unemployment.   The Chief Adviser congratulated the President of the General Assembly and all Member States on the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter.    He commended the UN’s historic achievements while stressing the urgent need for reforms to strengthen multilateralism and ensure that developing countries’ voices are heard.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has called upon those countries and institutions that shelter stolen assets to return the wealth to its rightful owners, noting that the current global financial system has failed to prevent the illicit transfer of resources from developing nations.  "Do not be complicit in this crime. Return the wealth to its rightful owners - the farmers, the workers, and the ordinary taxpayers," he said, adding that in some cases, the very rules of international financial institutions have enabled the movement of vast sums of illegal money into tax havens around the world. Speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, Prof Yunus said recovering the illicit assets stolen from Bangladesh is now one of the highest priorities of the interim government.  In the past 15 years, he said, billions of dollars were siphoned off abroad through corruption.  "We are working tirelessly to bring this wealth back. Yet legal process in the concerned countries and different other obstacles are hurting our efforts," Prof Yunus said, stressing that without sincere political commitment from the countries concerned Bangladesh will not be able recover this asset.  UNGA: Prof Yunus seeks a future without autocrats, safeguarding power for people He proposed the adoption and enforcement of strong international regulations to prevent the plunder of resources from developing countries and to ensure their return when stolen. "When we assumed responsibility, we uncovered the vast scale of corruption and theft of public resources, and the severe economic vulnerability it had created," Prof Yunus said. He said they are determined to put an end to this, so that development is never again used as an excuse to plunder the wealth of the people. To stabilise the fragile economy, he said, they have taken difficult but necessary reform decisions.  Among the most important is reforming the revenue collection system, Prof Yunus said.  For the first time, legislation has been enacted to separate the policy-making body from the implementing authority.  "This ensures transparency and accountability, and it will expand our revenue base. These measures are fully aligned with the Sevilla Commitment adopted at the recent FFD4 Conference," he said. Just as Bangladesh is striving to implement reforms in line with the Sevilla Commitment, Prof Yunus hopes that the developed world will also honor their responsibilities under that collective pledge. "We also believe that reform of decision-making and governance in global financial institutions is urgently needed," he said. "Equally vital are an inclusive framework for international tax cooperation, coordinated global measures against illicit financial flows and corruption and stronger international cooperation for the recovery of stolen and illicit assets," Prof Yunus said.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday told the international community that Bangladesh is committed to building a balanced democratic order where no elected leader would be able to undermine democracy. "Our goal is clear: to create a democratic order where power is balanced, where no autocrat can ever return, where no elected leader can destroy democracy, and where those who are meant to protect the people can never again prey upon them," he said. Prof Yunus made the remarks while speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in presence of global leaders and key political representatives from Bangladesh. Now, as the country prepares for the national elections in February next year, the Chief Adviser said they remain steadfast in carrying forward reforms that place citizens at the center. "Our focus is unchanging: transparency, accountability, and the rule of law," Prof Yunus said. To realise this vision, Prof Yunus said, they established eleven independent commissions on governance, the judiciary, elections, public administration, law enforcement, anti-corruption, women’s rights and other vital areas. These commissions consulted citizens, studied deeply and produced detailed proposals for reform, he said. To anchor these reforms in permanence, Prof Yunus said they created a National Consensus Commission, which brought together more than thirty political parties and coalitions. "Its aim was simple yet historic: to forge a collective pledge that transcends party lines. That effort succeeded. On the first anniversary of the July Uprising, we stood together on one stage and announced the 'July Declaration', a time-bound commitment to reform," he said. That commitment means that no matter who wins the next election, the reform process will not stop, will not reverse, and will not be undone. Last year, in this Assembly, he spoke to the global leaders from a country that had just witnessed a popular uprising. "I shared with you our aspirations for transformation," Prof Yunus said. "Today, I stand here to tell you how far we have come on that journey," he said. Out of every hundred people on this planet nearly three live in Bangladesh. "But our story is not important because of our numbers, nor because of our geopolitical location. Our story matters because it is a reminder of the extraordinary power of ordinary people," Prof Yunus said. "It matters because it inspires hope among nations everywhere: that no matter how deep the crisis, no matter how impossible the solution may seem, the path to renewal is never lost," he said. Key issues Prof Yunus may raise in UNGA speech tonight 1971 Struggle Prof Yunus said Bangladesh was born in 1971 through a bloody struggle for equality, for human dignity and for social justice. "Yet the very rights for which we shed so much blood, the very freedoms for which we sacrificed so much, have been denied again and again over the past five decades," he said. "Time and again spearheaded by our youth, the people of Bangladesh have risen, endured sacrifice, and reclaimed those rights," Prof Yunus said. This year, Bangladesh marked the first anniversary of the July Uprising. "It was our youth who stood up, it was our youth who defeated tyranny, and it was our youth who opened the path to a new journey of building a just and equal society," said Prof Yunus. He said the responsibility to carry that vision forward was placed on my shoulders and on those of my colleagues. "Rebuilding a devastated economy and state demanded nothing less than profound institutional reforms," Prof Yunus said. The Chief Adviser said they could have chosen the easy path: reforms imposed by executive order. "But we chose the hard path: reforms built through inclusion and sustained through consensus. We chose the path that endures," he said. In the beginning, Prof Yunus extended hi congratulations to Annalena Baerbock on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly as only the fifth woman in the history of the United Nations to hold this office. "The delegation of Bangladesh will extend its fullest cooperation to you in the discharge of your duties," he said. Prof Yunus also congratulated all Member States on the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations Charter. Labour reforms crucial in attracting large-scale FDI to Bangladesh: Prof Yunus  "This session is especially important, both for looking back at our journey and for shaping the road ahead," he said. Over the past eight decades, the United Nations has steadily expanded its scope of work and deepened its engagement in many areas. "It has played an indispensable role in advancing peace and security, in promoting human rights, in improving lives across the world, and in upholding justice, fairness, and equality," Prof Yunus said. Because of the United Nations, today more than 130 million vulnerable people in 120 countries receive urgent food and humanitarian support. "Nearly 45 percent of the world’s children are immunized through its efforts. Its agencies stand by those in distress, delivering food, clean water, sanitation, vaccines, and other life-saving services in every corner of the world," he said. At the same time, Prof Yunus said they have also witnessed the limitations of the United Nations in resolving conflicts between states and in confronting major global challenges. "Yet, on the whole, its role has been overwhelmingly positive and beneficial for humanity," he said. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, National Citizen Party member secretary Akhter Hossen and first senior joint member secretary of National Citizen Party Dr Tasnim Jara accompanied the Chief Adviser as part of the Bangladesh delegation to the UNGA. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam were also present.

The interim government on Friday reacted to the statement issued by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), noting that it is "deeply disappointing" that it issued a public statement based on unverified social media posts, rather than verified facts. "Contrary to TIB’s recent statement — which unfortunately relies on inaccurate information — the Bangladesh delegation to the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is not only significantly smaller than those of the Hasina era, but also far more focused, industrious, and results-driven," said Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam in a statement. TIB is a respected civil society organisation and a long-standing advocate for transparency, he said. The delegation's purpose is to represent the interests of Bangladesh and its people at the world’s most significant diplomatic gathering, where key global decisions are shaped. Over the past five days alone, members of the delegation have held at least a dozen high-level meetings, including bilateral engagements with more than six heads of state or government, Press Secretary Alam said. TIB has inaccurately claimed that the delegation exceeds 100 members. The actual number is 62 — only marginally higher than last year's 57, said the Press Secretary. "It is worth noting that last year’s figure did not account for six eminent politicians who traveled at the invitation of the Chief Adviser." Roughly a third of this year’s delegation comprises security personnel, who are essential to ensuring the safety of senior officials, including Professor Muhammad Yunus, amid credible threats from Awami League supporters, Alam said. Key issues Prof Yunus may raise in UNGA speech tonight Despite these measures, he said, the current team has been stretched, with many security officers working extended 16-hour shifts to provide adequate protection. The government acknowledges that questions may arise regarding the size of the delegation. However, Alam said, this year’s UNGA holds exceptional significance for Bangladesh. "At a time when various actors are engaged in deliberate efforts to destabilise the country — including a concerted campaign to misrepresent the July uprising — strong and proactive international engagement is not just strategic, but necessary." The press secretary said it is well documented that the Awami League and its allies are spending millions to fund a flood of misinformation about the Interim government and the July uprising -- and to lobby against Bangladesh's democratic transition, often with the tacit support of certain international quarters. This year’s delegation includes several individuals who will represent Bangladesh at the upcoming Rohingya Conference on September 30 — underscoring Dhaka’s continued leadership on one of the region’s most urgent humanitarian and security issues, he said. In addition, several advisers — though not part of the formal UNGA delegation — have travelled separately to engage with their global counterparts on matters of mutual concern, Alam said. Labour reforms crucial in attracting large-scale FDI to Bangladesh: Prof Yunus  Leaders of Bangladesh’s most popular political parties were also invited to participate, and a number of officials were assigned to support them, he said. 'This inclusive approach sends a clear and unequivocal message: Bangladesh is firmly committed to a peaceful, democratic transition," Alam said.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to deliver his speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday night (Bangladesh time), outlining Bangladesh’s positions and priorities in the context of complex and interconnected global challenges, Bangladesh’s democratic transition and the crucial February election. The chief adviser will address at the General Debate of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly between 9pm to 1am (Bangladesh time), Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB. His address will be broacast live on BTV, BTV News and Bangladesh Betar. The chief adviser's turn is expected to come at around 11:30am (NY time Friday), a senior official told UNB. Prof Yunus will convey Bangladesh’s commitment to holding a 'free, fair, peaceful and credible' election in the first half of February next during his upcoming speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “This will be a foundational election for Bangladesh. People will be able to exercise their voting rights peacefully. This message will be conveyed to the international community,” said Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. The global attention is turning to the iconic green marble podium in the General Assembly Hall, where presidents, prime ministers, and monarchs are delivering national statements, setting out visions for peace, development, human rights and collective action amid mounting global challenges. Under the theme Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights, this milestone session is taking place amid rising global challenges and urgent calls for renewed multilateral action. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said Prof Yunus, in his speech, is expected to highlight the activities of the last year and the interim government’s commitment to true democracy through reforms and elections scheduled for February next year. He is expected to address a wide range of pressing global issues, including peacekeeping, climate change and climate justice, the Sustainable Development Goals, illicit financial flows, safe migration and migrant rights, sustainable technology transfer in the age of artificial intelligence, as well as a call for ceasefire and permanent peace in Palestine. Prof Yunus seeks Dutch cooperation in water management, ocean research Prof Yunus began the UNGA tour on September 22. The foreign adviser said this year’s UN General Assembly (UNGA) holds special significance for Bangladesh. On September 30, the UN will, for the first time, host a high-level conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar. The decision stems from a proposal made last year by Prof Yunus, which received unanimous support from UN member states. In preparation for the conference, Bangladesh organised the first-ever “Partners’ Dialogue” in Cox’s Bazar last month, bringing together international partners and Rohingya representatives. “This unprecedented high-level meeting, combined with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ visit to Bangladesh earlier this year, demonstrates that despite multiple global crises, the Rohingya issue remains firmly on the international agenda,” Foreign Adviser Hossain said. “This UNGA session offers Bangladesh a vital opportunity to present its reform process, democratic transition, and national priorities to the international community,” Hossain said. In his speech, the chief adviser is expected to focus on three key areas—reform, justice, and elections—highlighting initiatives taken over the past 14 months and the challenges faced in advancing the democratic process. “Prof Yunus also has some personal messages for global leaders, which he will share, addressing broader geopolitical and global issues,” the press secretary said. The Rohingya crisis will also feature prominently in his address, as he seeks stronger global support for a sustainable solution.