August Uprising spotlighted students as democracy’s drivers: Ambassador Mushfique
The UNAM students also expressed admiration for the Ambassador’s personal journey and his long-standing advocacy for democratic rights.
Bangladesh's Ambassador to Mexico Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey has said that the student-led uprising in August demonstrated that young people are the true drivers of democracy and accountability in Bangladesh.
Talking to a group of International Relations students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) during an interactive session at the Bangladesh Embassy in Mexico City yesterday (4 December), the Ambassador highlighted the transformative role of youths in political change.
Focusing on the recent political transition, he said, "Bangladesh witnessed one of the most defining moments in its modern political life. A student-led movement—young people not much older than you—stood up for democracy, accountability, and basic human dignity."
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Encouraging the students, he added, "I can see future ambassadors, diplomats—even a future UN Secretary-General—in front of me. You are the generation that will navigate the globe, and it must be with human dignity and human rights at the center."
Linking these developments to Bangladesh's diplomatic priorities, Ambassador Mushfiqul said Bangladesh's foreign policy is rooted in friendship, peace, multilateralism, climate justice, and workers' rights, noting that Mexico has become an increasingly important partner in trade, culture and academic exchange.
The UNAM students also expressed admiration for the Ambassador's personal journey and his long-standing advocacy for democratic rights.
Earlier, Counsellor Abdullah Al Forhad delivered a multimedia presentation offering the students a comprehensive overview of Bangladesh.
He outlined the country's political structure, demographic advantages, and major development successes, including its rise as the world's second-largest exporter of ready-made garments and its rapid progress in digital governance, infrastructure and climate resilience.
The briefing also highlighted Bangladesh's foreign policy pillars, including its longstanding principle of "friendship to all, malice toward none."
Students learned about Bangladesh's leadership in UN peacekeeping operations, its strong voice in global climate diplomacy, and its consistent stance on international issues, including Palestine and the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
Discussion further covered the expanding scope of Bangladesh-Mexico cooperation. Both sides see strong potential in areas such as multilateral engagement, climate action, migration governance, technology, and sustainable development.
The Embassy underscored that academic mobility and youth exchanges between UNAM and Bangladeshi universities will be a key driver of future collaboration.
The visit concluded with a vibrant Q&A session, where students raised questions on regional geopolitics, and the future of economic diplomacy.
A small reception followed, during which Ambassador Mushfiqul Fazal presented souvenir packages featuring books on Bangladesh's culture and traditional Bangladeshi glass artworks.
