UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s Message on the Occasion of Bangladesh’s 50th Anniversary of Independence

I send warm greetings and congratulations to the government and people of Bangladesh on the fiftieth anniversary of their independence.

The people of Bangladesh have made tremendous strides over the past five decades, particularly on issues of social development and disaster preparedness. I congratulate you on this progress, including your forthcoming graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries.

Bangladesh is playing a valuable role on the world stage as the largest troop contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations; Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum; and host to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

The United Nations is your steadfast partner in all these areas. We will continue to stand with Bangladesh in tackling the climate crisis and working for the Sustainable Development Goals.

I send you my best wishes on your Golden Jubilee.

Thank you.