YouSaid · the spoken record

Begum Khaleda Zia

lines on the record: 40
first: 1993-09-24
most recent: 2005-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We can prevail only if we act responsibly and together. Support for the United Nations and its legitimacy remains a paramount priority.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Bangladeshís constitutional commitment to general and complete disarmament is the reason for our progressive support of international and regional 33 treaties and agreements covering all the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) weapons. We are a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We give precedence to human over weapons security. Each year we come to the Assembly to reaffirm our faith in the United Nations. This sixtieth anniversary year is of profound significance. We must provide a renewed mandate to the United Nations to meet the challenges of the new millennium ó to rid the world of poverty and injustice, to usher in the rule of law, to promote the cause of development, to eradicate terrorism and, above all, to promote peace and security.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The New Partnership for Africaís Development is particularly encouraging. We believe that South-South cooperation has specific relevance in that context. Bangladesh reaffirms its support for the early establishment of a sovereign independent State in Palestine, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. The road map for peace in the Middle East needs to be implemented fully and urgently. With respect to Iraq, we believe that the present situation should be resolved by preserving the interests of the Iraqi people, in particular their territorial integrity, and by ensuring the long-term peace, security and stability of the region.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Active participation, innovative ideas and best practices in shoring up development together can enhance our combined capacity to address the worldís problems, especially those that no one country can tackle alone. We, in Bangladesh, are particularly proud of our contribution to peacekeeping on many simultaneous fronts across the globe. In all, we have contributed more than 39,000 troops to 24 missions and are currently among the largest contributors. Sixty- seven of our blue-helmeted soldiers have died in that cause. Our commitment to peacekeeping remains unflinching. We also fully support the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission. A priority concern for us is our close identity with Africa. Through our peacekeeping efforts, we have established special bonds of friendship.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We are profoundly shocked at the huge toll of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf coast of the United States. Natural disasters do not distinguish between rich and poor countries, and the human misery and suffering caused are the same. We, in Bangladesh, have weathered many severe floods and cyclones, and the toll in terms of life and property has been huge. We can therefore feel the torment that the affected people have undergone, and we offer our heartfelt sympathies. We know that the American people can overcome the disaster and move on with their lives. All countries, including Bangladesh, must seek ways and means to contribute effectively to the United Nations, whether through peacemaking, peacekeeping or peacebuilding.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Deeply entrenched pockets of poverty continue to exist around the world. The most vulnerable are the least developed countries. Their products should be granted immediate duty-free and quota-free access globally. As reaffirmed at Monterrey, the specific allocation of 0.15 to 0.2 per cent of the GDP of developed countries must be earmarked for official development assistance to least developed countries. Financing for development is a critical issue. Innovative initiatives in that regard, which have been the subject of discussion, need to be pursued in earnest. The devastation caused by natural disasters affects all countries, rich and poor alike. How can we meet the challenge of effective relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, as well as pre-disaster warning and preparations? That continues to the responsibility of the United Nations.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The fundamental principle of the poverty reduction strategy paper is to promote employment- generating economic growth and to invest significantly in priority sectors such as education, health and social safety-net programmes. It is a matter of some satisfaction that Bangladesh has achieved two of the MDGs: the elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary schools and access to safe drinking water. We are close to achieving two more goals: the reduction of extreme poverty and under-five child mortality rates. Bangladesh is committed to upholding the dignity of individuals and promoting human rights. Bangladesh is a party to all United Nations human rights conventions. We are moving steadily to strengthen good governance through strong democratic institutions, establish the rule of law and eliminate intolerance in our society.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The progress is visible on six key fronts: stable growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) at a rate of 5 per cent or more for over two decades; higher per capita income; food security; increased resilience in the face of natural disasters; improvement of the human development index; and better social and health outcomes. Our performance in those areas compares favourably with the results in our own region and elsewhere. A set of pragmatic, targeted policy approaches have made that progress possible. We have completed a full-fledged poverty reduction strategy paper through an extended consultative process. It sets out a road map to meet country-specific MDGs.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“In 1990, a popular uprising against an entrenched military dictatorship brought the first real push towards sustained democracy. We have not looked back. Three consecutive free and fair elections have been held under a neutral caretaker Government. That unique constitutional innovation has ensured the peaceful transfer of power on an alternating basis. Democracy has become firmly rooted in Bangladesh. A key element of the last election, in 2001, was the participation of more than 70 per cent of the electorate. Women voters outnumbered men. They voted not for symbols but for issues. 32 A quiet revolution is under way in Bangladesh in the field of development.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We have acceded to all anti- terrorism conventions of the United Nations and relevant regional organizations. We support the early conclusion of a comprehensive United Nations convention on terrorism. I would like to underscore our conviction that terrorists do not belong to any one country or religion. In Bangladesh, sustained efforts are being made to pursue the twin objectives of responsibility at home and a contribution abroad. Despite enormous constraints, we have made good progress to advance democracy, development and human rights. We recognize that those goals are linked with one another. We have moved slowly but surely to shore up a democratic ethos. The late President Ziaur Rahman led Bangladesh out of the morass of a failed democracy in 1975. He introduced a multi-party system, freed the press and opened up the economy.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The resulting globalization and progression of humanitarian law have given rise to a world where the very concept of sovereignty is being challenged, where the dimensions of security are in a flux, where the nature of conflict has seen a seismic shift and where social exclusion has added complex uncertainty. The need for constructive engagement, dialogue, tolerance and understanding is imperative. Development and the rule of law must take centre stage. New challenges confront us today. While terrorists sow panic and xenophobia in our societies, deprivation, hunger, disease and environmental degradation continue to fuel insecurity and destabilization. The recent bombings in London and Egypt shocked us all. They have hardened our resolve to face this menace unitedly. Bangladesh condemns terrorism in all its forms.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The United Nations remains the only bastion of peace, justice and development in the world. Reform of the United Nations is vital. We must focus on its effectiveness and ability to deliver quickly. Its agenda and mandate must be meaningful. Its administration must be reformed. Its budget must be purged of waste. Its major organs need to be reconstituted and revitalized to serve purposeful priorities. Expansion of its major organs is necessary but must be tailored to the efficacy of the Organization. The dynamics of todayís world have been created by immense forces of change. Among them are advances in science and technology and widespread awareness of individual rights.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election. I am confident that you will carry forward the able legacy left by your predecessor, Mr. Jean Ping. Our warm tribute is also due to the Secretary-General as he strives to reinvigorate our Organization. We meet in the wake of the High-level Plenary Meeting, where bold decisions were made to promote implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Our problems transcend national boundaries. Solutions need a global consensus. All of us must emphatically reaffirm the central role of the United Nations in the cooperative management of the worldís problems. We are constitutionally committed to uphold the Charter and its legitimacy based on the rule of law. In a globalizing world, no nation is an island. None can prosper alone.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Democratic values, the human spirit, human solidarity and the appropriate realization of human development are central to achieving these objectives. Today, as we approach the end of the twentieth century, we look forward to a balanced, tolerant and happy world community where democracy, peace, development and human welfare will be equally available to all. This was really the driving force behind the establishment of the United Nations. We have spent half a century in pursuit of this goal. As we enter the coming century, this must not remain a mere dream. Let this be our pledge to the next generation.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We must act in concert and work for a better and nobler life for all sectors of the family of mankind." (Official Records of the General Assembly, Eleventh Special Session, 3rd plenary meeting, para. 46) His words are all the more significant today. We are poised at a critical juncture in the advancement of world peace and stability. No doubt violence, aggression, racism, ethnic and religious conflict and gaping social and economic disparities still exist. Despite these contradictions, there is today a greater confidence and conviction that a brave new world is truly within our reach. We are faced with a rare opportunity to sustain the momentum towards the peaceful resolution of conflicts, to strengthen the rule of law and to raise the quality of life in greater freedom.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Vicious cycles of starvation and violence, a breakdown of central authority and endless conflicts continue to bedevil in varying ways the situations in Somalia, Angola, Liberia, Rwanda and Mozambique. We call upon the United Nations to take comprehensive measures to establish peace in these areas in a more effective manner. Thirteen years ago, during a similar session of this forum, Bangladesh’s great leader and a champion of the interests of the third world, the late President Ziaur Rahman, issued a clarion call: "We must face the challenge of the contemporary world. The need of the hour is for bold and imaginative action. We will not find solutions if we cling to outdated concepts and institutions.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The recent historic accord between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel is a positive first step towards the establishment of a long-waited peace in the Middle East. We welcome this initiative. We hope that Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State will be the final objective of these efforts. We remain steadfast in our support for the struggle of the people of South Africa to achieve their cherished goal of equal rights and majority rule. In response to the appeal made here in the Assembly by Nelson Mandela, our Government is moving towards lifting economic sanctions against South Africa.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Bangladesh has always hoped for world peace and prosperity. Active participation in United Nations peace-keeping efforts has been a priority for us. Some of the significant examples of such participation are the monitoring of elections in Namibia, policing the cease-fire line in the Gulf, clearing mines and contributing to reconstruction efforts in Kuwait and assisting the United Nations peace efforts in Cambodia, Somalia and Mozambique. We strongly support the strengthening of the financial and institutional base of peace-keeping and its growth. We are concerned at the observation on the financial crisis of the world body made by the Secretary-General in his report. We urge the affluent Member States to come forward and assist in overcoming the crisis to keep the United Nations strong and effective.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The oppression and genocide unleashed by the Serbs against unarmed civilians in the name of the abhorrent policy of "ethnic cleansing" is a source of agony for all people of conscience. The unabated perpetration of this genocide naturally focuses attention on the unequal application of the concept of human rights. A nation and its existence as a State are being obliterated solely because of religious hatred. The double standard of supplying arms to the Serbs and the Croats while the Muslims remain unarmed is tantamount to violation of human rights. In the interest of establishing human rights Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 23 and justice, we call upon the United Nations and all the powerful States of the world to take definite steps to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“I am happy to report that after constructive negotiations with all parties concerned, including Myanmar and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a congenial atmosphere has been created for the safe and voluntary repatriation of the refugees. We hope this will lead to a permanent solution of the problem. Our hopes for a new, peaceful international order were raised following the end of the cold war. But these hopes seem to be fading in the face of current realities. The forces of communalism, racialism and regional hegemony are raising their heads in different regions of the world. As a result, mankind is threatened. The blatant violation of the national and human rights of the Bosnian Muslims at the hands of the armed Serbian aggressors is a matter of great shame for the whole of mankind.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We believe in the policy of friendship, cooperation and peaceful coexistence with all countries of the world. We have unwavering faith in the principle of the resolution of all problems with all countries, and particularly with our neighbours, through peaceful negotiations. Congenial conditions have been created for the return of the tribal refugees who left their homes in the Chittagong Hill districts and have been in India for a long time. This became possible following a bilateral understanding that was reached with India last May. Despite obvious economic, social and environmental difficulties, Bangladesh has given shelter to 250,000 refugees from Myanmar. Bangladesh has not sent back even one single refugee by force.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We believe that the world community sincerely wishes to see Bangladesh succeed in its struggle to dislodge the burden of poverty that has accumulated over the ages. But how can we, with our meagre resources, ever hope to achieve that objective if man-made obstacles stand in our way? Bangladesh wishes, therefore, to draw the attention of the world community to this issue, in the interest of establishing human rights, protecting the right to natural resources and ensuring the process of development. Something must be done urgently to end this inhuman treatment of the people of Bangladesh. We firmly believe that arrangements must be made to ensure a fair sharing of the water resources of the Ganges by signing a permanent agreement immediately.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Innumerable people, in various occupations, who depended on the river Padma for their living are becoming unemployed. Many are being uprooted from their homes and hearths. While the whole world is voicing concern about protection of the environment, a large proportion of Bangladesh’s population is being pushed to the threshold of poverty and destruction. This is nothing but a gross violation of human rights and justice. To put it simply, our economic structure is faced with disaster because of the Farakka Barrage. India could have played an important role in strengthening mutual trust between the two countries if it had lived up to its pledges on the question of water sharing. We feel that this is still possible.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The pledges given by India when the Farakka Barrage was commissioned remain unfulfilled. This unilateral withdrawal of water, in complete disregard of the interests of the people of Bangladesh, has brought more than 40 million people in the Ganges basin - or, rather, the Padma basin - face to face with catastrophe, with disaster. The Farakka Barrage has become, for us, an issue of life or death. Owing to obstruction of the natural flow at the Barrage, a process of desertification is evident throughout the northern and western parts of Bangladesh. As a result, vegetation is dwindling, and, in the south, the spreading salinity threatens industries and agriculture with ruin. Increased siltation is reducing the navigability of rivers. Fish and animals will soon be in danger of extinction.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Unfortunately, however, some issues remain unresolved with our neighbour India, the most important one being the sharing of water. We have not yet succeeded in convincing India as to what is our fair share of water from the rivers that flow through the two countries. We share 54 rivers. Historically, and under international law, we have a right - an inherent and legal right - to the water resources of the common rivers. But since completion of the Farakka Barrage, India has been unilaterally drawing Ganges water upstream. Withdrawal of water during the dry season causes serious drought, while the release of excess water during the rainy season produces severe floods in Bangladesh. This has created unimaginable adverse effects on the economy and environment of Bangladesh.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Against this backdrop, the seven countries of South Asia set up the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). As the current Chairperson of SAARC, I am trying to intensify development cooperation between the member countries. During the seventh SAARC Summit, which was held in Dhaka in April this year, we adopted some specific programmes for poverty alleviation. Besides, initiatives have also been taken to further promote cooperation in various fields, including trade, education and culture. Along with regional cooperation, we have attached priority to the development and strengthening of good 22 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session neighbourly relations and to the resolution of outstanding bilateral problems with our neighbours.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In tackling this challenge, we have adopted a new development model, whose purpose is to ensure extensive participation by the people in the development process. We have adopted the "Daal Bhaat" programme, which envisages the provision of basic nutrition for the poor and deprived masses and the development of human resources. We are expanding sanitation and primary health care facilities throughout the country. Special priority is being given to the integration of women in the development process. In this area, the Grameen Bank, the Rural Development Board and the Agricultural Bank are making a commendable contribution. We must encourage regional cooperation as a supplement to our efforts in multilateral cooperation.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“After long years of recession, there has been a definite increase in the rate of growth in agriculture and industry. We have also made considerable progress in the expansion of education. We have launched the programme entitled "Food for Education" as a means of ensuring the right to education of the poorer sections of our population. We aim to achieve a literacy rate of 60 per cent by the year 2000. We have initiated a national social programme with a view to restricting the population within a desirable level. Our efforts have brought us to the threshold of self-sufficiency in the production of food grains. In consonance with current world trends, we have also subscribed to a market economy. As I said earlier, in economic considerations poverty is the main economic challenge that we face.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“To this end, the immediate and satisfactory conclusion to the Uruguay Round of negotiations has become imperative. Together with development assistance, we seek trade and investment. In Bangladesh we have created a highly congenial climate for external investment. Contemporary experience has proved that the desired development cannot be achieved through dependence on external assistance alone; it is essential that trade and investment be expanded at the same time. We are engaged in an earnest endeavour to achieve economic prosperity by building upon our indigenous heritage. We are striving to forge a more productive and efficient workforce. We have made considerable progress in the field of structural reform of the economy. Inflation is at its lowest level.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We call upon the donor countries and the aid organizations, in providing assistance, to pay due attention to our indigenous initiatives and development programmes. The success of the development process would thus become almost impossible. Unrealistic conditions create unnecessary obstacles in the way of the development process and the smooth progress of democracy. In this context, I admit that a State cannot hope to become self-reliant through external aid and assistance alone. What we really need is liberalization of trade. Unfortunately, however, in the field of external trade the developing countries are being subjected to all sorts of discrimination by the developed countries. This must give way to strong and realistic North-South trade links based on equality.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We are acutely conscious of the need to protect the environment. We are frugal in our use of fuel, electricity and water resources. Bangladesh’s industrial sector contributes only marginally to environmental pollution. Our jute industry and jute products are more acceptable, in environmental terms, than various chemical and synthetic products. However, in the face of the massive expansion of the use of synthetic fibres that pollute the environment our jute industry is threatened with extinction. Millions of people in several countries, including Bangladesh, depend on the jute industry for their living. Thus, the production of synthetic fibres must be stopped, in the interests of the environment as well as of the millions who toil in the jute sector.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The ecological balance is being disrupted, but the blame is being conveniently shifted to the developing countries: Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 21 unfair conditions regarding the environment are being imposed on them. In many ways, the industrially developed countries are mainly responsible for environmental pollution. Given the resource constraints of the developing countries, their capacity to pollute the environment is very insignificant: they are more preoccupied with resolving their economic problems. We believe that the major responsibility for the prevention of environmental pollution lies, therefore, with the developed countries. Those industrially developed countries that pollute the environment in catering for their peoples’ demands for high living must bear the responsibility of mending the damage done.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The great disparity that exists in the field of technology must be removed; therefore, we want a free flow of technology. We feel that the exclusivity of intellectual property rights is a great hindrance, frustrating the transfer of technology; we call upon all concerned to refrain from taking a selfish view in this regard. A similar discriminatory attitude is also evident with regard to the flow of information: this is contrary to the concept of a free flow of information throughout the globe. In order to establish a well-balanced world community, it is imperative to ensure the free flow of both information and technology. Our existence is inseparable from the existence of our planet, and the existence of our planet is threatened today.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In order to ensure a future free from war and conflict, it is imperative that we ensure the sovereignty of small States. We believe that the international rule of law has a vital role to play in ensuring the security of small and weak States. The priority areas in this context are: a river-water convention; the law of the sea; environmental protection; and the status of refugees, economic migrants and displaced persons. Universal acceptance of the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice without reservation has become an urgent necessity in the pursuit of peace. We all live on the same planet. World civilization today and its accumulated store of knowledge is the joint achievement of all peoples of the world. Everyone has a claim to an equal share of the world’s resources and prosperity.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We believe that a new dimension will be added to the overall development framework of the less developed countries if this proposal is accepted. Our prime objective is to build a prosperous society and economy by consolidating national independence, sovereignty, human rights and democracy. This calls for guaranteeing the security of small States like ours. As we work on new equations in international relations, the United Nations must take effective measures to ensure the security of small States. The hopes and aspirations of millions of people are linked to this. We feel that in the new world order that is taking shape following the end of the cold war, mutual respect between large and small States should be the only recognized norm.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Today there exists a yawning gap between the economies and cultures of the developed countries of the North and those of the developing countries of the South. But one must realize that poverty is not the same as bankruptcy: the South, where Bangladesh belongs, has a glorious past, when there was economic and cultural prosperity. We are now engaged in the task of building a new future based on our culture, tradition and availability of resources. For us, it is a matter of pride and satisfaction that our people’s love for freedom has found concrete shape in the establishment of democracy. We want to emphasize human creativity and human capacity to toil. The much-talked-about new concept of a "human development index" does not seem to be adequate: we feel that it must capture the indigenous culture and values of differing civilizations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Our success on the road to democracy depends largely on our ability to tackle the challenge of alleviating poverty. We have many limitations: there is a lack of capital; we lag behind in technology. Handicapped by resource constraints as we are, it is not possible for us to undertake this difficult task alone: we need the cooperation of all. Today, democracy is universally recognized as the best political system. Democracy aims at building a prosperous society by creating avenues for the unstinted development of human creativity and skill. If the process of development is disrupted, democracy and stability are threatened. Nurturing the emerging democratic spirit in the third-world countries calls for sincere cooperation from the developed industrialized nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“I welcome them in our midst. We look forward to working in close cooperation with our new Members: Andorra, Eritrea, the Czech Republic, Monaco, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Slovakia. An unprecedented rise in democratic aspirations world-wide precipitated the end of the cold war. There is a growing optimism about the prospect of a new world economic order based on equitable distribution of resources and human rights. Bangladesh is proud to have played a definite role in the world-wide resurgence of democracy. About two and a half years ago, we succeeded in establishing a truly democratic Government following the elimination of the old autocratic regime, which had lasted about a decade. Democracy and development are mutually reinforcing.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Before proceeding, I should like to extend to Ambassador Insanally our most cordial greetings on his election to the presidency of the forty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. We are confident that his wisdom and experience will add new dimensions and dynamism to the activities of the United Nations. At the same time, we are also grateful to our Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his 20 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session determined efforts, which have given new vigour to the activities of this forum. He has been guiding the United Nations with great dexterity and success through a critical period of transition. I should like to reiterate our continued support for his endeavours in fulfilling his important task. Five new nations have recently joined us in the United Nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“At this juncture, on the eve of the twenty-first century, when the concepts of democracy, human rights and world-wide cooperation are on the ascendancy, I stand before this session of the United Nations General Assembly to share with Members Bangladesh’s views on the current world situation. I am here to affirm our commitment to the emerging faith in the prospects for peace, prosperity and balanced development throughout the world. In the light of the realities of the world today, the United Nations is universally accepted as the most effective platform for multilateralism. I should like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering confidence in the United Nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)