Diplomatic Desk:
At the 59th session of the Commission on Population and Development held at the UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, called for taking coordinated and effective initiatives to strengthen research and information systems, enhance international cooperation, transfer technology and capacity building, and reduce the existing digital divide worldwide. At the same time, he emphasized the need to build a strong data-privacy protection framework to ensure the ethical and responsible use of emerging technologies.
Highlighting the essential role of technology, innovation and research in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the International Population and Development Goals, the Ambassador said that almost one-third of the world’s population is still deprived of internet access, which is creating deep disparities in education, healthcare and economic opportunities and acting as a major challenge on the path to inclusive development.
The Ambassador also said that Bangladesh has made significant progress in reducing maternal mortality, expanding immunization programs, strengthening community-based healthcare, empowering women and increasing collaboration with research institutions. He also highlighted the country’s expansion in technology-enabled services such as telemedicine, digital healthcare and real-time disease surveillance.
Citing investment in young people, skill development and innovation as key drivers of sustainable development, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh reiterated its commitment to further strengthen international cooperation for inclusive and sustainable development, recognizing the need to address the growing challenges of urbanization, climate change and non-communicable diseases.
