Diplomatic Correspondent

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday said Bangladesh is committed to regional cooperation based on mutual respect, transparency and shared prosperity.

"Through initiatives such as BIMSTEC, BBIN, the Asian Highway, and SASEC, we are advancing regional connectivity and trade," he said while speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

For shared development, Prof Yunus said, there is no alternative to regional cooperation among neighbours.

And when it comes to the use of shared natural resources, he said, fairness and compassion must guide them.

Prof Yunus said Bangladesh is firmly committed to peaceful regional cooperation in this area.

"That is why, as the first country in South Asia, we have recently joined the United Nations Water Convention," he said.

At the same time, Prof Yunus said, they have expressed interest in joining effective regional forums like ASEAN, and they are working toward that goal.

The Chief Adviser also called for the revitalisation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, SAARC.

Established four decades ago, SAARC achieved notable progress in its early years and laid a strong foundation for regional cooperation. Despite political deadlock, its institutional structure remains intact, he said.

"We believe SAARC still holds the potential to deliver welfare to the hundreds of millions in our region, just as ASEAN has done in its own," said the Chief Adviser.

Centuries of political exploitation, plunder of resources, and structural inequalities have created today’s stark realities of uneven development, he said.

"A decade ago, when we agreed on the 2030 Agenda, we were filled with hope that the world could change course and move toward the right path," Prof Yunus said.

"Yet, the reality today is sobering. Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals has fallen dangerously behind," he said.

Prof Yunus said the gap in development financing continues to grow, while the flow of Official Development Assistance is shrinking.

"We urge donor countries to reverse this trend and to honor their commitments," he said.

LDC Graduation

Prof Yunus said they are in the process of graduating from the category of Least Developed Countries to that of developing countries.

He said enhanced cooperation from the international community, in particular the relevant entities of the United Nations is essential to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition.

In this regard, Prof Yunus said, they commend the work of OHRLLS and other relevant UN entities.

"We call for further strengthening of this Office to enable more effective support to the LDCs and other vulnerable countries," he said.

At the same time, alongside grants and loans, Prof Yunus called for a massive expansion of social business through both public and private initiatives.

"This new approach can bring benefit to both donor and recipient countries alike. It can inspire, it can encourage, and it can take human creativity to new heights," he said.

Prof Yunus acknowledged the contribution of the United Nations to Bangladesh’s progress and development.

"We reaffirm our full confidence in its three pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights," the Chief Adviser said.

Over the past eight decades the United Nations has shown time and again that multilateral diplomacy helps humanity live together in greater harmony.

"Yet on its 80th anniversary we must acknowledge that multilateral diplomacy is under strain," he said.

The tensions of unequal bilateral relations have once again proved that multilateralism remains our last and best resort, he said.

"To keep the United Nations—the custodian of multilateralism—alive and vibrant, we call for full transparency and sincere dialogue among member states," said the Chief Adviser.

The United Nations must continue to evolve and adapt if it is to meet today’s challenges and fulfill our collective aspiration for multilateralism, he said.

"In this spirit, we welcome the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative. But we must also insist: reform must not weaken multilateralism or silence the voices of developing countries," he said, adding that reform must have one goal only, to bring about real and positive change on the ground.

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, first senior joint member secretary of National Citizen Party Dr Tasnim Jara and NCP leader Akhter Hossen accompaned 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.