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Bangladesh has called on the United Nations to establish an international mechanism for debt restructuring, debt relief, debt suspension and sustainable debt solutions to help developing countries cope with mounting fiscal pressures caused by the Middle East crisis and other global economic shocks.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir made the call during a meeting with UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban at UNICEF House in New York, according to a government press release.
Dr Titumir said such a mechanism is essential to enable developing countries to continue investing in children, women, education, healthcare and social protection while keeping progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track.
He said rising energy prices, supply chain disruptions and increasing debt burdens had significantly reduced Bangladesh’s fiscal space. Despite these challenges, he said, the government remains committed to protecting vulnerable groups and advancing its vision of a democratic welfare state under the “Bangladesh First” philosophy.
State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki also attended the meeting.
Highlighting the government’s social protection agenda, Dr Titumir said Bangladesh is working to establish a universal life-cycle-based social security system with women at the centre of development. He said the proposed Family Card initiative would support women-led households and provide assistance throughout different stages of life, including pregnancy, childhood, education, disability and old age.
Saki underscored the importance of integrated and reliable data systems and outlined the government’s proposed “One Child, One Card, One Number and One Wallet” strategy to improve birth registration, school enrolment and access to public services.
He also sought UNICEF’s support in strengthening teachers’ capacity through digital training and learning tools to enhance the quality of education. In addition, he highlighted initiatives promoting multilingual education, sports, culture, museum visits and extracurricular activities as key elements of children’s holistic development.
Ted Chaiban congratulated Bangladesh’s newly elected government and welcomed the country’s election to the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
He praised the government’s efforts to protect vulnerable people, particularly children and women, despite significant fiscal constraints, and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Bangladesh in education, early childhood development, nutrition, social protection, teacher training and child-centred data systems.