Dr. Yunus has acknowledged that upon taking charge, the interim government discovered the alarming extent of corruption and plundering of public resources, which left Bangladesh’s economy fragile.

In his UN speech, he said, “We are determined to end this. Development must never again be used as an excuse to loot public wealth.”

Yunus highlighted key reforms, particularly in revenue collection, where a new law separates policymaking from implementation. This, he said, will ensure transparency, accountability, and stronger revenue generation.

“Bangladeshis expect not just development, but accountable, democratic, and inclusive development,” Yunus stressed.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called for the immediate implementation of a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine.

In his UN address, he warned that extreme nationalism, harmful geopolitics, and indifference to human suffering are destroying decades of hard-won progress.

“The most tragic image of this is Gaza, where children are dying of hunger, civilians are being indiscriminately killed, and entire communities with hospitals and schools are being wiped out,” Yunus said.

He aligned with the UN’s Independent Commission of Inquiry, saying, “What we are witnessing is an indiscriminate genocide.” He urged the global community to act decisively, warning that history and future generations will not forgive inaction.

Yunus also cautioned against the spread of disinformation, deepfakes, and politically motivated fake news in Bangladesh following last year’s student uprising, stressing the need for global unity to counter such challenges.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has assured the world that Bangladesh will never again revert to autocratic rule. Addressing the UN General Assembly, he said that democracy and reforms in Bangladesh will move forward sustainably through consensus across political lines.

“No force can now obstruct the reconstruction of a just state structure, earned through the people’s sacrifices,” he stated.

Yunus also revealed that preparations are underway to hold national elections in February next year. Alongside this, the interim government will continue reforms to strengthen transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. He affirmed that whichever party secures public support in the election, there will be no uncertainty in implementing reforms.

“Democracy in Bangladesh will never again be at risk,” Yunus emphasized.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has joined the opening session of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

According to the Press Wing, Yunus was accompanied by Energy Adviser Faozul Kabir Khan, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, and Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul.

Earlier, Yunus met with Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin and former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. He is also scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump following the UN session.

The main session of the UN’s 80th General Assembly begins today, with the world leaders’ debate running until Saturday.

Tradition dictates that Brazil will be the first to speak, followed by the United States and others. This year’s Assembly is chaired by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and will see participation from leaders of 140 nations.

Palestinian statehood recognition is expected to dominate discussions, alongside the Russia-Ukraine war, sustainable development, the global energy crisis, and climate change. The session concludes on September 30.

For the first time since 1967, Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara has arrived in Washington to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Syrian state TV confirmed he is accompanied by four ministers, with expectations that the visit could open dialogue on restoring diplomatic ties with the United States, including reopening Syria’s embassy in Washington.

Al-Shara is scheduled to address the Assembly on September 24. A meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is also being planned on the sidelines.

Reuters noted that the U.S. once placed a $10 million bounty on al-Shara’s head due to his alleged links with al-Qaeda. However, his meeting with Trump in Riyadh earlier this year was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough, leading Washington to lift most sanctions on Syria and pledge support for a “unified and stable” Damascus.

The United States has once again vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. This marks Washington’s sixth veto on similar proposals.

The draft, tabled by 10 elected members of the 15-member council, urged Israel to lift all restrictions, allow humanitarian aid, and secure the dignified release of hostages. Fourteen members voted in favor, with the U.S. the lone dissenting vote.

Hamas condemned the veto, calling it a clear alignment with “genocidal crimes.” Ahead of the vote, Denmark’s UN envoy warned: “Famine in Gaza is no longer a possibility—it is a certainty.”

Nearly two years of relentless Israeli strikes have left over 65,000 dead and 165,925 injured in Gaza, according to local sources.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain confirmed that Bangladesh’s candidacy for the presidency of the 81st UN General Assembly remains valid and clarified that the country is not competing against Palestine.

“Four years ago, we announced our candidacy, when Cyprus was the expected contender. Palestine joined much later. This does not place us in direct confrontation,” he explained.

Touhid Hossain condemned Israel’s actions against peace negotiators, calling it “heinous,” and expressed solidarity with Qatar after attending an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha.

A UN investigative commission has found evidence of genocide committed by Israel in Gaza, directly implicating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli leaders.
The 72-page report accuses Israel’s top officials—including the prime minister, president, and former defense minister—of inciting and orchestrating atrocities.
The findings cite mass killings, blocking humanitarian aid, forced displacement, and the destruction of fertility clinics as evidence supporting the genocide claim.
So far, nearly 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza due to Israeli attacks, the report states.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session. Instead, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India and deliver the country’s address on September 27 in New York.

Earlier schedules had indicated that Modi would speak on September 26. Modi last visited the United States in February this year, where he held bilateral talks with then-President Donald Trump. However, ties between the two leaders soured soon after, with Trump imposing a 50% tariff on Indian goods following India’s purchase of Russian energy.

This year’s UNGA session is expected to witness a landmark moment as several Western countries—including France, Canada, and Belgium—prepare to formally recognize Palestine as an independent state. In response, the United States has reportedly canceled Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s visa to block his participation.

UN Resident Coordinator Gwenn Lewis met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to discuss ongoing reforms and development priorities. Lewis praised strong UN-interim government collaboration and reiterated full UN support for the general elections in February, calling them vital for Bangladesh’s democratic transition. They also reviewed preparations for the upcoming UN General Assembly and the end-of-month Rohingya conference, expressing concern over declining humanitarian aid. Yunus emphasized the urgent need for sustainable international support for the Rohingya.

At the UN Security Council, 14 of 15 member states—excluding the U.S.—held Israel responsible for Gaza’s famine. Representatives from the UK, France, Russia, and China issued strong statements against Tel Aviv. Heated exchanges broke out between Israel and Algeria’s envoys.
The Algerian delegate showed photos of malnourished Palestinian children and read a letter from slain journalist Mariam Abu Daggar to her son. Britain’s ambassador Barbara Woodward said, “For the first time in modern Middle Eastern history, famine has been recorded—entirely man-made.”
Israel countered that Palestinian child deaths were caused by illness, not malnutrition. U.S. envoy Dorothy Shea acknowledged Gaza’s hunger crisis but dismissed recent IPC reports as inaccurate.

A contingent of 180 Bangladesh police officers, including 70 female members, departed Dhaka early Tuesday morning to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo.
The unit, led by Superintendent of Police Jannatul Afroz, received a formal send-off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from Additional IGP Khondker Rafiqul Islam, DIG Rezaul Karim, and UN Operations Wing officials.
Bangladesh first joined UN peacekeeping in 1989 in Namibia, and currently, 215 Bangladeshi police officers are serving worldwide. To date, 24 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have laid down their lives in the line of duty.

At the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), three prominent South Asian leaders — Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi — are scheduled to deliver speeches on the same day.

The high-level session will open in New York on September 23, with the speeches of Yunus, Modi, and Sharif set for September 26. According to the preliminary agenda, Prime Minister Modi’s address will be immediately followed by Prime Minister Sharif’s, creating an opportunity for Islamabad to issue a direct response to New Delhi’s positions.

Sharif will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Adviser Tariq Fatemi as part of Pakistan’s delegation. This year’s UNGA theme is “Better Together: Eighty Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights.” As per tradition, Brazil’s president will deliver the first speech, followed by the U.S. president. Later in the same session, Israel, China, and Dr. Yunus will also speak.

United Nations Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews met with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus to discuss the human rights situation in Myanmar and the plight of Rohingya refugees.
Andrews praised Yunus for prioritizing the Rohingya issue internationally, noting that his initiative has paved the way for an international conference on September 30 at the UN headquarters.
Yunus expressed concern over recent cuts in international aid, which have severely affected healthcare and education for Rohingya refugees. He urged Andrews to continue advocacy efforts.
Andrews acknowledged challenges, including disinformation campaigns that derailed UN-led repatriation efforts, but reiterated hope for a lasting solution. He is currently in Bangladesh to attend a stakeholder dialogue on Rohingya issues in Cox’s Bazar on August 25.