Bangladesh elected UNESCO General Conference president

Bangladesh has been elected President of the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO, marking a historic first for the country in its 53-year membership of the global body.

The decision came during a vote on Tuesday at the 222nd Session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, where Bangladesh’s candidate, Ambassador Khondker M Talha, secured a narrow 30–27 victory over Japan.

Initially, four countries—Bangladesh, Japan, India, and South Korea—had contested the position, but India and South Korea withdrew their candidacies in September.

Ambassador Talha, who also serves as Bangladesh’s permanent delegate to UNESCO and ambassador to France, Monaco, and Côte d’Ivoire, will succeed Romania’s Ambassador Simona Mirela Miculescu at the General Conference scheduled later this month in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus called the election a “landmark achievement” and praised Bangladesh’s education and cultural advisers, along with the Permanent Mission, for successfully leading the campaign. Education Adviser Dr CR Abrar highlighted that the presidency will draw global attention to Bangladesh’s contributions in arts, culture, and education, describing it as a “rare honour.” Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki added that Bangladesh’s active participation in recent UNESCO sessions has already been lauded and that the new role provides a platform to showcase the country’s cultural and heritage landscape internationally.

Appointed as Bangladesh’s permanent delegate to UNESCO in 2021, Ambassador Talha expressed gratitude to the Executive Board for their confidence and pledged to work diligently to uphold UNESCO’s mission at a time he described as “critical for global multilateralism.”

This election positions Bangladesh at the forefront of UNESCO’s highest decision-making forum, providing an unprecedented opportunity to influence global policies in education, science, and culture.