Bangladesh has been elected president of the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO, marking a historic milestone in the country’s 53-year membership with the organisation.

During the vote held on Tuesday at the 222nd Session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, Bangladesh candidate Ambassador Khondker M Talha secured the presidency with a 30-27 victory over Japan, read a press release.

Initially, four countries—Bangladesh, Japan, India, and the Republic of Korea—had contested the position. However, India and the Republic of Korea withdrew their candidature in September.

This is the first time Bangladesh has been elected to this apex position within UNESCO.

Talha, Bangladesh’s permanent delegate to UNESCO and ambassador to France, Monaco, and Côte d’Ivoire, will assume the presidency.

He will succeed Ambassador Simona Mirela Miculescu of Romania at the upcoming General Conference, to be held later this month in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Education Adviser CR Abrar, and Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki expressed their appreciation to the Executive Board for electing Bangladesh to this prestigious position.

The chief adviser called it “a landmark achievement” and thanked the education and cultural advisers, as well as the Permanent Mission, for their leadership in driving Bangladesh’s successful campaign. “This is a proud moment for Bangladesh,” Prof Yunus said.

Education Adviser Abrar noted, “This election to UNESCO’s highest office will bring global attention to Bangladesh’s contributions in arts, culture, and education. It is a rare honour.”

Cultural Adviser Farooki said, “Bangladesh’s active participation in recent UNESCO sessions has already drawn praise. This new role offers a powerful platform to project the vibrancy of our artistic, cultural, and heritage landscape on the world stage.”

Appointed as Bangladesh’s permanent delegate to UNESCO in 2021, Ambassador Talha expressed deep gratitude to the Executive Board members for their confidence in Bangladesh’s leadership.

“This is a historic achievement for our country,” he stated, pledging to work tirelessly to uphold UNESCO’s mandate during this critical time for global multilateralism.