Bangladesh has been elected a UN Human Rights Council member for the 2023-25 session.
The United Nations General Assembly picked Bangladesh and 13 other countries, the UN body revealed on its Twitter handle on Tuesday.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has led the Bangladesh delegation in the UN General Assembly during the UNHRC election held on Tuesday, BSS reported.
In the election, Bangladesh, the highest recipient of votes in the Asia Pacific Group, has secured one of the four seats in the UNHRC, competing with seven aspirant countries from the Asia Pacific Group.
The @UN?? General Assembly has elected 14 members of the #HumanRights Council for the term 2023-2025 ➡️https://t.co/TAZ7ROnFhk
— UN Human Rights Council (@UN_HRC) October 11, 2022
Algeria??
Bangladesh??
Belgium??
Chile??
Costa Rica??
Georgia??
Germany??
Kyrgyzstan??
Maldives??
Morocco??
Romania??
South Africa??
Sudan??
Viet Nam?? pic.twitter.com/Fwg5ZRx2Gs
The other three countries from the region elected were the Maldives (154 votes), Vietnam (145 votes) and Kyrgyzstan (126 votes). Bahrain withdrew its candidature a few days ago, while the Republic of Korea (123 votes) and Afghanistan (12 votes) lost the election.
It would be the fifth term of Bangladesh as a member of the 47-member UNHRC. Bangladesh won the previous UNHRC elections in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018, effectively for all possible terms as per the rules of business of the Council.
The other nations are Algeria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Georgia, Germany, Morocco, Romania, South Africa and Sudan.
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system of 47 states responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.
It can discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations requiring its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN office in Geneva.
“The result of this extremely competitive election is a clear manifestation of the recognition by the international community of Bangladesh's continued endeavour and commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in national as well as the international arena," a Foreign Ministry press release said last night.
This also nullifies the ongoing smear campaign with falsified and fabricated information by some politically motivated vested corners at home and abroad aimed at negatively portraying the human rights situation of Bangladesh, said the statement, BSS reported.
The ministry said this prestigious win is significant as this was the most competitive international election of all candidatures Bangladesh floated since 2018.
Bangladesh, it said, as a responsible and responsive Member State of the UN and an elected UNHRC member for the next three years, remains committed to making all efforts to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights nationally and globally.
