Yunus urges countries to engage with 'new Bangladesh'

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today called upon the international community to engage with "new Bangladesh" anew that aims to realise freedom and democracy.

"Our people, particularly the youth, gained us independence from an autocratic and undemocratic regime with their exceptional resolve and capability. That collective resolve should define Bangladesh of the future and place our nation as a responsive and responsible state in the comity of nations," he said while addressing the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

Highlighting the context of the anti-discrimination student movement and the changes it brought to Bangladesh, Prof Yunus said the "power of the ordinary people", in particular the youth, presented to the nation an opportunity to overhaul many of the systems and institutions.

The uprising led by the students and youth was initially aimed at ending discrimination. Progressively, the movement evolved into a people's movement. The world eventually saw how people-at-large stood against autocracy, oppression, discrimination, injustice and corruption, both on the streets and online, he said.

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The people's movement left an estimated over 800 martyrs in the hands of the autocratic regime, he added.

Prof Yunus said Bangladesh was born because of her people's profound belief in liberalism, pluralism, and secularism.

"Decades later, our 'Generation Z' is making us re-visit and re-imagine the very values that our people Bangladesh stood for back in 1971. As our people also did in 1952, to defend our mother language, Bangla," he added.

"We were moved by the wisdom, courage and conviction our youth showed," added the chief adviser.

"We believe, the 'monsoon revolution' that the world witnessed in Bangladesh in the span of few weeks, may inspire many across communities and countries, to stand for freedom and justice," he said.