United News of Bangladesh

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has vowed to serve as a ‘full-time President’ and President for everyone, if elected as the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “If elected, I will be everyone’s President, full-time President,” he said while joining the informal interactive dialogue as part of the election for the presidency of the 81st session of the UNGA. Dr Khalilur said he will unfailingly uphold the UN Charter and will engage all member States and pay attention, especially to small delegations. "I am able, willing, and ready to serve as your President from day one," he said. President of the 80th session of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock convened informal interactive dialogues with the candidates for the presidency of the 81st UN session on Wednesday that were broadcast live on UN WebTV. The Foreign Minister said it will be one of his priorities to uphold the UN General Assembly's normative work on human rights, underscore the importance of efficient and unimpeded humanitarian access, and highlight the plights of refugees and migrant workers wherever they deserve their attention. “I must recall in this context that Bangladesh has been providing shelter and humanitarian support to 1.3 million Rohingyas, forcibly displaced from Myanmar, in one of the largest such concentrations in the world,” he said in his vision statement. This experience has deepened our conviction that international solidarity, responsibility-sharing, and predictable resources are indispensable to an effective humanitarian system, he said. If elected President of the General Assembly, the Foreign Minister said, he will dedicate himself to rebuilding trust, nurturing consensus, and opening space for good faith negotiations that will lead to outcomes for all that are owned by all. “Working together, we can restore trust in and manage the much-needed transformation of the United Nations and prove, once again, that multilateralism is not only relevant, but indispensable to a future of peace, dignity, and prosperity for all,” he said. In its resolution 71/323 titled “Revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly”, the Assembly called upon candidates for the position of President of the General Assembly to present their vision statements, conducted informal interactive dialogues with Member States, thus contributing to the transparency and inclusivity of the process. Civil society organisations and individuals engaged in the informal interactive dialogues by submitting questions to the candidates. Questions were received through the registration of participants who engaged either in person or through video messages. Dr Khalilur is a candidate from the Asia-Pacific region with over 30 years of experience with the United Nations, both as a representative of Bangladesh to the General Assembly and as a senior official at the UN secretariat in New York and at UNCTAD in Geneva. Over the years, he has actively participated in 16 UNGA sessions, engaging directly in its negotiations, high-level meetings and follow-up processes. Throughout his career, Dr Khalilur has worked extensively on development issues facing the Global South, including those related to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). “I am convinced that our world now needs a more effective and responsive multilateralism. By working together, we can build a more robust multilateral system that commands the trust of Member States and delivers tangible benefits for all,” the foreign minister said in his vision statement. He said he believes that he has the combination of knowledge, experience and leadership capabilities to effectively lead the General Assembly to advance this overarching goal. The election of the president of the United Nations General Assembly for the 81st session will be held on June 2 in the General Assembly Hall at UN headquarters, in line with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure. In accordance with the established regional rotation, the president of the 81st session of the General Assembly will be elected from the Asia Pacific Group. Following the withdrawal of the Palestinian candidature, Bangladesh will now compete with Cyprus. The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly will open at a historic crossroads, Khalilur Rahman said, adding that eight decades after the UN Charter was signed in San Francisco, their shared system of multilateral cooperation faces profound challenges. “Yet this moment also presents unprecedented opportunities to renew its promise for ‘we the peoples’ in the 21st century,” he said.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman left Dhaka on Saturday morning for the US to attend a series of engagements in support of Bangladesh's campaign for the Presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). On his way to New York, the Foreign Minister will make a brief stopover in Türkiye, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB. He is scheduled to hold several meetings and engagements as part of Bangladesh's diplomatic outreach for the UNGA Presidency bid. The Foreign Minister will hold a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara. During the visit, Dr Rahman is expected to meet diplomats and other stakeholders to strengthen support for Bangladesh's candidature. Palestine has recently withdrawn its candidature for the Presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the 2026–2027 term. Following the withdrawal of the Palestinian candidature, Bangladesh will now compete with Cyprus. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has nominated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman for the position. The election of the President of the United Nations General Assembly for the eighty first session will be held on June 2 in the General Assembly Hall, UNHQs, in line with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure.  

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Saturday said Bangladesh enjoys strong backing from member states of the OIC but faces a challenge due to the limited time available to campaign for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “The candidate has been changed following the change in government. One of our key challenges is that Cyprus has been campaigning throughout the year, whereas we have barely three months, or even less in hand,” he told reporters at Dhaka airport explaining the ground behind the change in Bangladesh’s candidature. Dr Khalilur, who returned from Saudi Arabia early Saturday, said discussions were held with Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) partners to assess the situation and strategise ways to secure Bangladesh’s victory.  “We have received their full and unequivocal support,” he said. The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh’s friends within the OIC have assured active campaigning in favour of Dhaka’s candidature. He said as anticipated, Palestine withdrew its candidature a few days ago. With Palestine stepping aside, Bangladesh will now contest the 2026–2027 term against Cyprus. Humayun Kabir, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, described the feedback from OIC countries as highly encouraging and strong. “We have received very positive responses. We will conduct a detailed assessment at an appropriate stage, but the support so far has been strong. The visit was both fruitful and productive,” he said. Earlier, the interim government had nominated former Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain as Bangladesh’s candidate. Following the change in government, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman nominated Dr Khalilur  Rahman for the position. Bangladesh had initially floated its candidature ahead of Palestine. The election for the President of the 81st session of the UNGA is scheduled to take place on June 2 at the UN Headquarters in New York, in accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure. Under the established regional rotation system, the President for the 81st session will be elected from the Asia-Pacific Group. The President of the 80th session of the UNGA, Annalena Baerbock, will convene informal interactive dialogues with the candidates in May 2026. Bangladesh last held the prestigious position in 1986–87, when then Foreign Minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury was elected President of the 41st General Assembly. Four decades later, the country is seeking to reclaim the post. The 81st session of the UNGA will open on September 8, 2026, with the high-level General Debate commencing on September 22. Leaders attending the recent executive meeting of the OIC expressed confidence that Bangladesh will swiftly achieve political stability and accelerated development under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. They also reiterated their full support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the presidency of the 81st session of the UNGA.  

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.