Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the global leaders to work in unison for peace, welfare of mankind and prosperity by shunning the path of war and confrontation.
“My appeal today is to all of you – to the leaders of the world, to shun the path of war and confrontation, and to work collectively for enduring peace, welfare for humankind and economic prosperity for our people and future generations,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing the General Debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the General Assembly Hall here today (Friday).
She said the overall progress towards a peaceful and prosperous common future is faced with threats due to the impacts of the pandemic, the effects of an existential climate crisis, and the wide ramifications of the war in Ukraine affecting global food, financial, and energy securities have greatly impeded the achievement of SDGs in developing countries.
The premier said Bangladesh always supports the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, for his strong commitment to strengthening multilateralism and for his efforts, bold statements, and his far-sighted and pragmatic steps toward making the UN deliver its mandates and stand up to the challenges of the current world.
In her address delivered to the UNGA session, she highlighted the Rohingya crisis, climate change, food crisis, human rights, women empowerment, healthcare, sustainable development goals (SDGs), terrorism and the government’s inclusive economic development and other global and regional issues.
Like the previous years, Sheikh Hasina addressed the session of the UNGA in Bangla for the 19th time following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who delivered his address in Bangla in the UNGA on September 25 in 1974.
This year’s UNGA theme is: “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.
She referred to assassination of 18 members of her family that included her father, then President of Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman, her mother and three brothers, three sisters-in-law and paternal uncles on August 15 in 1975.
The premier said she and her only sister survived the brutality as they were abroad at that time.
“Before that, in 1971, three million of our countrymen were killed during our great War of Liberation while two hundred thousand women were heinously tortured and abused,” she said.
“As a victim of and witness to brutalities of war and assassination. I can feel the pain and agony that people endure due to the horrors of wars, killings, coup d’‚tats and conflicts,” she said.
