Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh has achieved a significant diplomatic milestone by being elected to the governing councils of two key regional institutions under the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
The election took place during the 81st session of the Commission, held in Bangkok, Thailand. Bangladesh secured a three-year term on the governing councils of both the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (APCICT) and the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM).
The announcement was made in an official press release issued on Thursday. The success is seen as a reflection of the international community’s growing confidence in Bangladesh’s progressive policies and its rising influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The opening session of the conference featured addresses from high-profile leaders, including UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Ministers and senior officials from across the region were also in attendance.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister was elected President of the 81st session, while Dr Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Economic Advisor of Bangladesh, was elected Vice-President. A video message from Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Professor Muhammad Yunus, was also presented. In his address, Professor Yunus called for enhanced regional and global cooperation to tackle shared challenges. He emphasised the need for a new world built on the principles of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.
Bangladesh reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable and inclusive development across the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Anisuzzaman Chowdhury is leading the country’s delegation, accompanied by ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, senior officials from various ministries, and representatives from the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand.
During the session, titled “Regional Cooperation for Stable and Sustainable Urban Development in Asia and the Pacific”, Bangladesh’s active participation was particularly noted. Dr Chowdhury played a pivotal role in shaping the discourse on sustainable development, advocating for enhanced technical assistance, increased research collaboration, and greater investment in smart, green, and resilient urbanisation projects.
ICT Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury stressed the importance of addressing cross-border challenges, improving multimodal transport systems, enhancing access to climate finance, and promoting regional cooperation. He also highlighted Bangladesh’s initiative to host a high-level side event on sustainable urbanisation, inspired by Professor Yunus’s book “A World of Three Zeros”.
ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky echoed these sentiments, underscoring the value of regional partnerships in achieving the ambitious “Three Zeros” agenda. He called for vibrant knowledge-sharing, technical support to developing nations, and investment in transformative urban development.
On the sidelines of the main proceedings, the Bangladesh delegation held a bilateral meeting with the Executive Secretary of UNESCAP to discuss deeper cooperation in priority areas such as ICT advancement and building regional resilience.
These twin electoral victories underscore Bangladesh’s growing leadership role and the international community’s trust in its vision for regional progress. The Government of Bangladesh expressed sincere appreciation to all member states for their support, and to UNESCAP’s Executive Secretary for continued collaboration.
