Bangladesh has achieved a significant diplomatic triumph at the Eighty-First Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand (21–25 April 2025). Demonstrating its growing leadership in regional cooperation, Bangladesh successfully contested and won elections for the Governing Councils of two prestigious regional institutions under UNESCAP.
Bangladesh has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Governing Councils of:
• Asia-Pacific Training Centre on ICT for Development (APCICT)
• Asia-Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM)
The inauguration session featured remarks from United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Her Excellency Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Royal Thai Government, as well as several ministers from across the region. Hon’ble Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal was elected as the Chair of the 81st session and Bangladesh’s Special Assistant to the Hon’ble Chief Adviser for Finance became a Vice-Chair, among others.
The inaugural session featured a compelling video address from the Hon’ble Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who passionately advocated for strengthened regional and global cooperation in all directions. He underscored the necessity of collaborative efforts to address shared challenges and called for the creation of a new world founded on the principles of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. He reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive development across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Bangladesh delegation at this crucial session is being expertly led by Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Hon’ble Chief Adviser for Finance. Accompanying him are key government figures including Mr. Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD), and Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), alongside other senior officials from various ministries and the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand.
Further underscoring Bangladesh’s active engagement, particularly in the session on ‘Regional cooperation for resilient and sustainable urban development in Asia and the Pacific,’ Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Hon’ble Chief Adviser for Finance, played a pivotal role in shaping the discourse on sustainable development. He strongly urged ESCAP and its member states to significantly enhance technical assistance, foster robust research collaboration, and increase investment in smart, green, and resilient urbanization projects throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
In his address during the session, Mr. Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division, emphasized key priorities for the nation and the region. He stressed the importance of developing multi modal transportation systems, enhancing access to climate financing, and fostering cross-border solutions to address trans boundary challenges for achieving resilient and sustainable urban development.
Bangladesh further championed its vision for a sustainable future by organizing a high-profile side event centered on “Sustainable Urbanization through Three Zeros.” This initiative promotes an innovative model for urban development firmly anchored in the principles of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions, a framework derived from Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s book, “A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions,” which outlines a vision for a sustainable and equitable future.
Contributing to the discourse during the session on the “Three Zeros,” Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, highlighted the critical importance of regional partnerships in advancing the agenda of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. He emphasized the need for fostering robust knowledge exchange, mobilizing financial investment, and extending technical assistance to effectively support developing countries in their complex urban transformation journeys towards achieving these ambitious goals. Beyond the elections and thematic sessions, the Bangladesh delegation engaged in a productive bilateral meeting with the Executive Secretary of UNESCAP. Discussions focused on strengthening collaborative efforts in critical areas such as ICT development and bolstering regional resilience against various challenges.
This significant dual electoral victory reflects the international community’s growing confidence in Bangladesh’s progressive policies and its impactful leadership within the region. Bangladesh extends its sincere gratitude to all member states for their valuable support and to the Executive Secretary of UNESCAP for her renewed commitment to closer collaboration with Bangladesh in key priority sectors.
