Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said his government is pursuing a 3-R strategy — Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction — to repair Bangladesh, which he described as having been ravaged by more than one and a half decades of “fascist rule and exploitation.”
“To repair Bangladesh, which was ravaged by fascist rule and exploitation, the Government is pursuing a 3-R strategy — Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction,” he said while addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had freed itself from what he described as enforced disappearances, killings, abductions, corruption, looting and money laundering and was once again embarking on the path of democracy.
He said an immense horizon of possibilities had opened before Bangladesh and that his government had begun implementing extensive programmes to transform the country’s working-age population into skilled human resources by harnessing its demographic dividend.
“Detailed measures have been taken to create extensive employment opportunities and develop Bangladesh as a ‘manufacturing hub’,” he said, seeking support from the country’s development partners in this endeavour.
The government has allocated US$50 million in the current fiscal year to create opportunities for young entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators to implement start-up initiatives, he said.
Focus on women’s empowerment
Highlighting the government’s focus on women’s empowerment, Tarique Rahman said women were at the forefront of its plans for the country’s socio-economic transformation, noting that women account for more than half of Bangladesh’s population.
He said the government was prioritising women’s education, employment and entrepreneurship, including expanded access to cash financing, particularly in the small and medium-sized industries sector. Free education opportunities for women up to the undergraduate level had also been made available, he said.
The Prime Minister said the government wanted to ensure not only electoral democracy but also the democratisation of the economy so that the benefits of economic growth and prosperity reached every family and citizen.
To this end, the government had introduced social protection initiatives such as the Family Card, Farmers’ Card, Sports Card and e-Health Card to support economically disadvantaged people.
He described the Family Card, issued in the name of the female head of each household, as a symbol of women’s economic empowerment and said the government planned to introduce a Universal Card by integrating various support cards.
31-point programme and development
Tarique Rahman said the government was implementing its 31-point programme presented to the people ahead of the February 12 national election. He said 73 percent of the programme’s activities were directly aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ “Leave No One Behind” theme, while another 27 percent were indirectly aligned.
The government hoped implementation of the programmes would reduce development disparities between urban and rural areas and strengthen accountability and inclusive sustainable development under the 2030 Agenda, he said.
Education, health and sports
The Prime Minister said his government had given special importance to education, health and sports and had made the highest-ever budget allocation for the education sector.
“There are plans to gradually increase education spending to 5 per cent of GDP within the next five years,” he said. He said a curriculum had been developed with an emphasis on technical and practical education to establish an ethically sound and employment-oriented education system.
School bags, uniforms and free midday meals were being provided to primary students from the first grade, he said, expressing hope that the initiatives would increase school enrolment and improve the quality of education.
Sports had also been included as a subject in the education curriculum for the first time, with the aim of establishing sports as a profession, he said. More than two million students participated in a month-long nationwide football tournament last June as part of the initiative, he added.
Call for dialogue to resolve conflicts
Turning to the international situation, Tarique Rahman said human-made conflicts had created unrest in many countries, causing displacement and humanitarian crises while placing pressure on the global economy, energy security and supply systems and contributing to rising inflation.
He said conflicts should be resolved through dialogue, diplomatic processes and mutual cooperation, with equality, fairness, protection of mutual interests, respect and dignity forming the basis of bilateral and multilateral relations.
Bangladesh sees the United Nations as the centre of efforts to establish an understanding-based global community that respects the independence and sovereignty of states, he said.
Tarique Rahman reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to general and complete disarmament, prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation and arms control, while supporting UN initiatives aimed at promoting global peace.
He also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support for the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and to establish an independent State of Palestine.
Rohingya crisis
On the Rohingya crisis, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh had been providing shelter to more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar for more than nine years, putting immense pressure on the country’s resources, environment, security and local communities.
“The only solution to this problem is the safe return of the displaced Rohingya population to their homeland, Myanmar,” he said. He called for firm and effective support from the United Nations and the international community for a lasting solution and urged continued life-saving assistance for the Rohingyas until their repatriation.
“If the international community fails to ensure justice for the displaced Rohingya population, this may turn into a humanitarian crisis in the near future,” he added.
Climate change and development
On climate change, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh was among the countries most vulnerable to its adverse impacts despite making little contribution to global carbon emissions. He said Bangladesh expected stronger global action at COP31 on climate justice, climate finance and adaptation support. The government has launched a programme to plant 250 million trees across the country over the next five years, while placing emphasis on clean and solar energy, he said.
He also said a programme had been launched to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals across the country to help address flooding and drought. The government had begun implementing the Teesta Master Plan and the Padma Barrage project to increase freshwater flow into the Sundarbans and conserve water through large reservoirs, he said.
Technology and AI
On science and technology, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh’s large young population and growing digital capabilities had created new possibilities, but access to advanced technology, knowledge and research must be made available to all.
“We do not want today’s digital divide to become tomorrow’s artificial intelligence divide,” he said, stressing technology transfer, skills development and affordable access to modern technologies for developing countries. He called for an effective UN policy framework to ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence and social media could be used positively around the world.
LDC graduation and global cooperation
The Prime Minister also called for continued international support as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from the Least Developed Country category, particularly through assured financing, greater market access, technology transfer and capacity building.
He said regional trade facilitation, connectivity and meaningful cooperation could help countries achieve shared prosperity in an increasingly interdependent world. Tarique Rahman also stressed the need to ensure sustainable production of vaccines, medical supplies and diagnostic equipment in developing countries so that they remain readily accessible to all.
‘Bangladesh First: Bangladesh for All’
Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh wanted to establish a prosperous, self-reliant and welfare-oriented democratic state where everyone, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or race, could live safely with equal rights, respect and dignity.
“Bangladesh’s progress in the areas of democracy, human rights, good governance, accountability, political stability and the investment environment is continuing,” he said, adding that the government was working to establish a safe and stable Bangladesh with a business- and investment-friendly environment.
“We want to build a Bangladesh where young people can pursue their dreams without fear or hindrance, women can lead their lives with confidence, and every child can grow up with the opportunity to realise their full potential,” he said.
“Above all, the people will have the assurance of a safe and peaceful life. That is why we say, ‘Bangladesh First: Bangladesh for All’.”
Earlier remarks
Earlier in his address, Tarique Rahman congratulated the President of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on his election and assured Bangladesh’s full support during his tenure. He paid tribute to the martyred freedom fighters of Bangladesh and recalled the contributions of those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle to establish democracy, justice and people’s rights since independence.
He also paid respect to those killed and injured during the July-August 2024 mass uprising. The Prime Minister said the people had entrusted the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with the responsibility of governing the state through the “fair, free and impartial” national election held on February 12 this year.
He said he felt nostalgic standing before the UN General Assembly as his father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and his mother, former Prime Minister the late Khaleda Zia, had also addressed the world from the same platform on behalf of Bangladesh and its people.
Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh remained committed to multilateralism in maintaining international peace and security and, as Vice-Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, continued to advocate sustainable peace, conflict prevention and inclusive peacebuilding.
He also highlighted the contributions of Bangladeshi peacekeepers and women peacekeepers to UN missions around the world. On migration, he said the government was committed to ensuring regular, safe and orderly migration and called for stronger global cooperation to protect the rights, dignity and welfare of migrants. Concluding his address, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unwavering support for the principles and values of the United Nations in the cause of establishing world peace.
