Bangladesh gets UN Human Rights Council membership
This would be the fifth term of Bangladesh as a member of the 47-member UNHRC. In the previous UNHRC elections, Bangladesh won in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018; effectively for all possible terms as per the rules of business of the Council
Bangladesh has been elected a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the next three years.
The foreign ministry, in a press release on Tuesday (11 October) said, Bangladesh has bagged a historic win in the election for the membership of the UNHRC for the term 2023-25, by securing 160 votes among 189 casted votes in the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This prestigious win is indeed significant as this was the most competitive international election of all candidatures Bangladesh floated since 2018. Bangladesh, as the highest recipient of votes in Asia Pacific Group, has secured one of the four seats in the UNHRC competing with 7 aspirant countries from the Asia Pacific Group, read the release.
The other three countries from the region elected were the Maldives (154 votes), Vietnam (145 votes) and Kyrgyzstan (126 votes). Bahrain withdrew their candidature a few days ago. The Republic of Korea (123 votes) and Afghanistan (12 votes) lost the election, it added.
This would be the fifth term of Bangladesh as a member of the 47-member UNHRC. In the previous UNHRC elections, Bangladesh won in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018; effectively for all possible terms as per the rules of business of the Council.
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 for the promotion and protection of human rights in national as well as international arena.
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 release.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs joins the whole nation for the celebration of a great moment of victory. Bangladesh, as a responsible and responsive Member State of the United Nations and an elected UNHRC member for next three years, remains committed to make all efforts to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights nationally and globally, it further read.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam MP led the Bangladesh delegation in the UN General Assembly during the UNHRC election held yesterday.