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 organization, marking the first time the country has been elected to the apex position.

During the vote held on Tuesday (October 7) 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. Initially, four countries had contested the position, including Bangladesh, Japan, India, and the Republic of Korea. However, India and the Republic of Korea withdrew their candidacies in September.

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

Dr. Yunus 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," the Chief Adviser said.

“Very enthusiastic congratulations to Amb Talha and his team for bringing this international prestige to the nation,” he added.

Education Adviser Dr. CR 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 honor.”

Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki added, “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.