Mr. Chair,
Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Allow me to share our national position.
In line with our unwavering commitment to general and complete disarmament, Bangladesh remains a fervent advocate for the complete elimination of all forms of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), whether they are nuclear, chemical, or biological. The grave danger posed by WMDs are undeniable, and their mere existence casts a shadow on the moral fabric of humanity.
We express our deep concerns on the growing possibility of terrorists and other unauthorized non-state actors using or gaining access to such WMDs in certain situations.
Mr. Chair,
The traumatic legacy of chemical weapons from World War I, serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Bangladesh remains committed to the full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of all provisions of the CWC. We strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstances.
Immediately after the ratification of the CWC in 1997, Bangladesh submitted necessary declaration regarding the chemical weapons and their production facilities. We enacted the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act in 2006, formulated the Enrollment Rules in 2010, and following that established Bangladesh National Authority for CWC to implement and fulfill our obligations under the convention.
Bangladesh deeply regrets that the Fourth Special Session of the Conference of States Parties to Review the Operation of the Convention could not adopt a report. We also express regret regarding the failure of both the Fourth and Fifth Review Conferences of the CWC to adopt an outcome document.
Mr. Chair,
The international community must be united in condemning any uses of chemical weapons and those responsible must be held accountable in a transparent manner. In this regard, we stress on the paramount importance of upholding the credibility and integrity OPCW and allowing the OPCW to deliver on its mandates and responsibilities with due diligence and impartially.
Bangladesh maintains robust cooperation with the OPCW to promote the peaceful use of chemicals. Bangladesh is the first Member State of the OPCW to introduce Chemical Incident Preparedness for Hospitals (HOSPREP) in July 2019.
We call upon the Member States to recommit to never using chemical weapons by destroying remaining stocks. We reiterate our call for the universalization of the Chemical Weapon Convention.
Mr. Chair,
Bangladesh considers Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) as an important legal instrument related to WMD. While unprecedented advances in biological science and technology have brought immense opportunities, concerns for their potential uses contrary to the provisions of the Convention remain. We reaffirm our commitment to fulfill the provisions of BWC.
The international community must work together to ensure that the BWC can effectively address present and future challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed our shared vulnerability to the potentially catastrophic consequences of pathogens and other biological threats.
In this regard, we underscore the importance of the full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of Article X of the Convention through enhancing international cooperation, assistance and exchange in toxins, biological agents, equipment and technology for peaceful purposes. We reiterate the need for further strengthening the BWC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) to effectively respond to various capacity building needs of State Parties, especially to the LDCs.
Bangladesh welcomes the consensus outcome achieved by States Parties to the Convention at the 9th BWC Review Conference, which has culminated in the establishment of the Working Group dedicated to enhancing the Convention.
To conclude, Mr. Chair, Bangladesh recalls the need to prevent the emergence of new types of WMD, and therefore, underscore the necessity of international cooperation and action in this regard.
I thank you.