Bangladesh seeks support of UN member states in IOM election

Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN organised a Eid reunion for permanent representatives and ambassadors of more than 100 countries including India, Japan, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and member states of the UN, at the Bangabandhu auditorium in New York on 11 June.

State minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam MP and foreign secretary Shahidul Haque were present at the event.

The key point of discussion in the event was the upcoming election for the position of deputy director-general (DDG) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) where Bangladesh has fielded its candidate, foreign secretary Shahidul Haque.

Permanent representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the United Nations, Masud Bin Momen, requested fellow PRs to support Bangladesh’s candidate for the post of DDG of IOM.

Besides focusing on various remarkable development trajectories of Bangladesh, he urged the member states to play an effective role for a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis.

Foreign secretary Shahidul Haque made a presentation on the latest global migration order (Migration Order 3.0) where he emphasised on the need for an effective migration management for safe, orderly and regular migration.

He intends to utilise his long experience of working with IOM and dealing with migration issues for the welfare of the world, he said.

Referring to Bangladesh’s long and profound involvement with international migration discourse, state minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam urged the representatives of member states to support ambassador Haque.

“Bangladesh foreign secretary Haque is the special envoy on migration for prime minister Sheikh Hasina and a professional diplomat who has worked for 12 years in IOM. If he gets the opportunity to work as a DDG IOM, then his experience can be used to make IOM a more effective organization for better management of global migration,” said the state minister.

Incidentally, PRs of Bangladesh and Spain were appointed as co-facilitators for the modalities resolution of International Migration Review Forum in December 2018. Now, Bangladesh’s Masud Bin Momen and the PR of Spain co-facilitated the first round of formal negotiations on the zero draft of that resolution at the UNHQs.

The guests were entertained with traditional Bangladeshi food. As Eid gifts, Bangladeshi tea and various handicrafts items were also distributed among the guests.

A number of civilian and defence officials of Bangladesh working at the UN Headquarters were also present at the event.