PM Hasina calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas

She also called for the resumption of dialogue and negotiations for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, in line with UN Security Council Resolutions.

"The ongoing Israeli attacks on innocent civilians in Gaza, contravening all fundamental principles of human rights, international humanitarian law, and rules of war and recount the challenge before the United Nations and the international community," the premier said in a message today on the eve of the United Nations (UN) Day to mark the UN's 78th founding anniversary.

The United Nations and its specialised bodies have made significant progress on many fronts, such as decolonisation, peacekeeping, humanitarian operations, socio-economic development, achieving MDGs and the ongoing SDGs, promotion and protection of human rights, and combating climate change and its multifaceted impacts on the people and planet, she said. 

"We, however, continue to witness armed conflicts in many parts of the world, exacerbating the sufferings of civilians and impeding prosperity, and no real progress in the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and ending the arms race," Sheikh Hasina added.

"On the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the United Nations, I reaffirm Bangladesh's steadfast commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and commend the leadership and relentless efforts of the United Nations in building trust, fostering global solidarity and reinvigorating multilateralism towards advancing peace, security, and sustainable development against the most pressing challenges of our time," she said.

As the proponent of a 'culture of peace,' Bangladesh firmly believes in the peaceful settlement of international disputes with full respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, she said, adding, "We maintain a 'zero tolerance' approach to all forms of terrorism and violent extremism." 

Noting that Bangladesh has provided temporary shelter to over a million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals as they fled atrocities in Myanmar and thus contributed to peace and regional stability, the premier said, "Since then, we have continued to pursue bilateral, regional, and multilateral diplomacy to resolve the Rohingya crisis peacefully".

Drawing inspiration from the peace-centric foreign policy and vision of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina said, "We continue to pursue peace, equality, freedom, justice, development, and cooperation as the cardinal principles of our engagement with the United Nations and the wider international community."

"We are and will remain at the forefront of the UN's much-valued work in peacekeeping and peace-building in partnership with all the stakeholders," she added.

The prime minister said, "We will continue to stand with the United Nations. We wish to see the United Nations as the seat of global governance, leading us from the front and working towards fulfilling the expectations of the entire world in an objective and non-selective manner."

"Let us use this occasion to bolster our efforts and create a more inclusive United Nations based on mutual respect, partnership, cooperation, and solidarity," Sheikh Hasina said.

The United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into effect on the day.