Mr. Chair,
I thank you.
Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Allow me to speak in my national capacity.
Nuclear Weapons continue to pose the greatest threat to humankind. The humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons are endless. Yet, our present and future generations continue to live under the constant fear of nuclear catastrophe.
Our position towards nuclear weapons is unambiguously clear. We believe that these weapons secure no one; instead, they endanger everyone’s security. Hence, the ultimate guarantee of security lies only in the total elimination of nuclear weapons. It was from that conviction we ratified the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
We welcome the coming into force of the Treaty on 22 January 2021; and convening of its First Meeting of States Parties on 21-23 June 2022, which adopted a political declaration and an action plan. We would like to see as a matter of priority, its full implementation by all, including the Nuclear-Weapon-Possessing States.
Mr. Chair,
We consider NPT as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and the fundamental foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. My delegation expresses deep disappointment over the consecutive failure of the 9th and the 10th NPT Review Conferences to adopt a consensual outcome document.
We remain concerned at the sustained modernization of nuclear weapons, the continuous improvements in existing nuclear weapons, and the development of new types of nuclear weapons. We reiterate the urgent need for systematic, progressive, verifiable, irreversible, and time-bound nuclear disarmament in line with the spirit of Article VI of the NPT.
We urge the international community to unite against the perpetual holding of nuclear weapons by a handful of states in total disregard of the safety and security of humanity.
We call upon the Nuclear Weapons States to demonstrate their genuine political will to enable the 11th NPT Review Conference to produce a meaningful, tangible and sustainable outcome to further strengthen the NPT regime.
Bangladesh believes that the establishment of nuclear-weapons-free-zones under Article VII of the NPT are a practical step to achieve a Nuclear Weapons-free world. In this regard, we reiterate our support to the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Chair,
Bangladesh reaffirms that nothing should undermine the inalienable rights of all States to develop, research, produce, and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including in power generation, healthcare and agriculture for achieving SDGs. We believe that such rights come with certain responsibilities. [And] we are deeply conscious of our responsibilities and proceeding in line with the highest IAEA standards while we build our nuclear power plant.
We reiterate our support for commencing negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament (CD) on an effective, non-discriminatory, legally binding and internationally and effectively verifiable FMCT. We reaffirm our support for the early entry into force of the CTBT. We also strongly support a legally binding instrument providing assurances to non-nuclear weapon states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons by the nuclear weapons states.
Mr. Chair,
The Nuclear Weapon States spent US$ 82.4 billion on their nuclear weapons in 2021 amid the economic toll of the pandemic. Could we take a moment to ponder on what we could have achieved with this amount in the field of development, particularly in the fight against poverty and climate change?
My clarion call to the international community, let us make the right choice to be on the right side of history.
I thank you.