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Published : 30 Mar 2022, 05:15 PM
The prime minister said the war was ‘instigated’ and the focus on denouncing a country led to Bangladesh’s decision to refrain from supporting the resolution against Russia. However, Bangladesh did support the second resolution regarding upholding human rights in Ukraine, she said.
“When we saw the first resolution, it neither talked about human rights, nor about stopping the war. It was a resolution to denounce Russia,” Hasina said in parliament on Wednesday in response to a query from Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu.
“We then decided not to vote as wars do not break out on their own - there must be some instigation or incitement. Why would we simply denounce a country? That was why we refrained from voting.”
Hasina recalled Russia’s contributions to the Liberation War of Bangladesh while explaining the government’s position.
Russia is a friend of Bangladesh, the prime minister said. “When the US supported Pakistan [in 1971] by sending its Seventh Fleet, it was Russia who stood beside us. Therefore, we must help those who helped us during our dire need.”
At the same time, Bangladesh would not support any wrongdoing by its friends, the prime minister said. “We don’t want war, but we need to see who instigated the war. That’s why we didn’t take any decision. As it [the first resolution] was against a country, we decided not to support it.”
The UN resolution to reprimand Russia for invading Ukraine was supported by 141 of the assembly's 193 members and passed in a rare emergency session called by the UN Security Council as Ukrainian forces faced air strikes that forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.
Russia was joined by Belarus, which has served as a launchpad for Russian invasion forces, Eritrea, North Korea and Syria in voting against the resolution. Thirty-five members, including Bangladesh and China, abstained from the vote.
Bangladesh, however, joined other countries at the UNGA on Mar 24 to demand civilian protection and aid access in Ukraine during Russia’s invasion of the East European country.
The UNGA overwhelmingly supported the demand, while also criticising Russia for creating a ‘dire’ humanitarian situation resulting from its invasion.
When the second resolution was placed at the UNGA, it highlighted the humanitarian crisis the Ukrainians, including children, were suffering from, she said.
“We voted for it on humanitarian grounds. That should be clear enough and create no further confusion,” said Hasina.
