Hiroshima Day: Let the pledge be a nuclear-weapon-free world

EVERY year on August 6, humanity observes Hiroshima Day with deep sorrow, remorse, and introspection.

On this day in 1945, the first nuclear bomb ever used in warfare was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. In a matter of seconds, a vibrant city was reduced to ruins.

Three days later, with the explosion of a second atomic bomb over Nagasaki, the world witnessed the most terrifying and inhumane application of technology.

The estimated total death toll from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is 220,000.

Of these, approximately 140,000 people died in Hiroshima and about 80,000 in Nagasaki.

Countless individuals suffered lifelong disabilities, cancer, and genetic complications.

Those wounds continue to stir the conscience of humanity to this day.
It was 8:15 AM on August 6, 1945.

The US B-29 bomber “Enola Gay” dropped the uranium-based atomic bomb named ‘Little Boy’ on Hiroshima.

Within seconds, temperatures reaching several thousand degrees Celsius, a massive explosion, and lethal radiation were unleashed.

Three days later, on August 9, the plutonium-based bomb named ‘Fat Man’ was dropped on Nagasaki from the USAAF B-29 aircraft “Bockscar”.

Hiroshima Day is not merely a day to remember the past; it is a day to pledge to safeguard the future.

It is a day to commit to building a world where no state, government, or group can ever again use nuclear weapons against humanity.

Today, in the world of 2026—the lessons of Hiroshima are more relevant than ever.

Although the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) represents a beacon of hope for humanity, major nuclear-armed states have refrained from signing it.

Their indifference reflects a profound disregard for the global conscience. The question remains: at the cost of how many hundreds of thousands of lives will the arrogance of these superpowers be satisfied?

Mentionable that Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the United States’ atomic bomb project, came to know the catastrophic devastation of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, regretted his responsibility and later turned toward disarmament.

He looked far ahead and saw where a barren arms race would lead.

Bangladesh is a nation that believes in a peaceful foreign policy. The principle of “friendship towards all, malice towards none” remains a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s diplomacy to this day.

Bangladesh has played a significant role in various United Nations peacekeeping operations and has consistently advocated for disarmament and global peace.

Furthermore, Bangladesh continues to play a positive role in the international arena regarding the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world. On Hiroshima Day, we can pledge to choose peace, not war.