Bangladesh bags landslide victory in UNHRC membership election

Bangladesh has bagged a historic win in the election for the membership of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the term 2023-25.

The country has secured 160 votes among 189 casted ones in the polls held in United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“The result of this extremely competitive election is a clear manifestation of the recognition by the international community of Bangladesh's continued endeavour and commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in national as well as international arena," a foreign press ministry press release said on Tuesday night.   

This also nullifies the ongoing smear campaign with falsified and fabricated information by some politically motivated vested corners at home and abroad aimed at negatively portraying the human rights situation of Bangladesh, said the statement.  

The ministry said this prestigious win is indeed significant as this was the most competitive international election of all candidatures Bangladesh floated since 2018.

Bangladesh, it said, as a responsible and responsive Member State of the United Nations and an elected UNHRC member for next three years, remains committed to make all efforts to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights nationally and globally.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs joins the whole nation for the celebration of great moment of victory, said the release.   

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP, has led Bangladesh delegation in the UN General Assembly during the UNHRC election held on Tuesday.

In the election, Bangladesh, as the highest recipient of votes in Asia Pacific Group, has secured one of the four seats in the UNHRC competing with seven aspirant countries from the Asia Pacific Group.

The other three countries from the region elected were the Maldives (154 votes), Vietnam (145 votes) and Kyrgyzstan (126 votes).  

Bahrain withdrew their candidature few days ago while Republic of Korea (123 votes) and Afghanistan (12 votes) lost the election.

This would be the fifth term of Bangladesh as the member of the 47-member UNHRC. In the previous UNHRC elections, Bangladesh won in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018; effectively for all possible terms as per the rules of business of the Council.