According to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the UN must keep changing and adapting in order to realize the shared goal of multilateralism and peace. “The United Nations must continue to evolve and adapt if it is to fulfill our collective aspiration for peace and multilateralism. We join the call for reforming the UN to make it more agile, integrated, and equipped to deliver the aspirations of all people in an evolving global landscape,” he said.
The Chief Adviser said this in a message today marking the United Nations Day on October 24, which marks the 80th founding anniversary of the UN.
“On this solemn occasion, we pledge that Bangladesh will continue to do its part to ensure a stable and peaceful world, as envisioned in the UN Charter,” he said
“Happy ‘United Nations Day’ to all member states, partners in the UN System, and other stakeholders,” Professor Yunus said on behalf of the people of Bangladesh.
According to him, this is a chance for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to creating a society free from fear and want and to revive the UN’s multilateralism and consensus-building ethos.
The Chief Adviser stated that the United Nations has broadened its purview and strengthened its involvement globally during the last eight decades.
“It has played an indispensable role in advancing peace and security, in protecting human rights, and in promoting sustainable development, improving lives across the world,” he said.
Since attaining its membership in 1974, Professor Yunus said, Bangladesh has assiduously built its reputation as an active, responsible, and contributing member of the UN.
“Bearing the flag of the culture of peace, Bangladesh has been participating in the most perilous UN peacekeeping operations across the globe and has been one of the leading contributor countries under the UN blue helmet,” he said.
“Many of our valiant soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of establishing peace,” Professor Yunus added.
Global South nations like Bangladesh flourish in a rules-based multilateral framework, whether it is for trade, sustainable development, or tackling the climate catastrophe, he added. “We, however, witness with concern the tensions of unilateral measures and unequal treatment in bilateral relations.”
The Chief Adviser stated, “We must acknowledge that multilateral diplomacy is under strain,” pointing out that the recent crises have thrown the world into a state of collective anxiety. The progress humanity has made through decades of effort is being destroyed by extreme nationalism and a lack of empathy for human suffering.
The world has become an audience to live broadcasts of a genocide happening in Gaza, Professor Yunus noted.
“In our own backyard, we have witnessed the deprivation of rights and persecution of the Rohingyas, rooted in cultural identity-based politics, for which we have called for renewed attention of the international community,” he said.
