BANGLADESH: Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman called for intensified global efforts to combat slavery and all forms of oppression at a UN General Assembly commemorative meeting.
He made the call while speaking at a meeting marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Bangladeshi media reported on Thursday.
The foreign minister paid solemn tribute to the millions of victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade and honored the courage and resilience of those who resisted it.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s firm stance against injustice, Rahman said the country remains opposed to slavery, apartheid, genocide, and all forms of oppression. He highlighted that Bangladesh’s Constitution rejects imperialism, colonialism, racism, and discrimination, and reiterated the nation’s solidarity with oppressed people worldwide.
The minister reflected on key historical milestones, including the centenary of the 1926 Slavery Convention and nearly 80 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Despite these landmark achievements, he warned that the legacy of slavery continues to shape modern society, economy, and politics, with various forms of exploitation persisting globally.
Rahman emphasized that remembrance alone is not enough. He called for concrete action, including stronger efforts to combat human trafficking, enhanced international cooperation in digital forensics, and greater investment in education and dialogue about the human and civilizational costs of slavery.
Concluding his remarks, he urged the international community to work collectively toward building a world free from slavery and oppression.
