Bangladesh had abstained from voting the latest UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on “Just Peace in Ukraine” as “important practical point” like – intensive diplomatic engagement and dialogue between the parties involved in the conflict – is missing in it.

“While the ultimate objective of the current resolution is to seek a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, we believe that any meaningful and sustainable solution to the current conflict must need intensive diplomatic engagement and dialogue between the parties involved in the conflict,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said here today.

“To our opinion, this important practical point is missing in the resolution. Therefore, we were constrained to Abstain,” she added.

The spokesperson was speaking at a media briefing, without taking any question, at the Foreign Ministry to describe Bangladesh’s arguments in favour of abstention on UNGA resolution.

She said Bangladesh continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine, particularly the loss of civilian lives, deteriorating humanitarian situation in conflict zone and consequential socio-economic fallout around the globe.

“We call for a cessation of hostilities and remain steadfast in our commitment that purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld at any cost,” Sabrin said.

In this regard, she said, “We see the importance of urging the UN secretary-general and member states to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in the proposed resolution”.

Dhaka also firmly believes that peaceful settlement of international disputes must be complied with universally for everyone, everywhere under all circumstances, without exception, she added.

Guided by Bangabandhu’s philosophy of ‘Friendship to all and malice towards none’, Sabrin said, Bangladesh pursues a peace-centric foreign policy, which is based on the principles of respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity of all states, peaceful settlement of international disputes, and respect for the principles enunciated in the Charter of the United Nations.

On Thursday, The UNGA adopted the resolution while 141 member states voted in favour, seven voted against and 32 abstained.

Bangladesh along with its regional neighbours India, China, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are those among the 32 countries which abstained from voting.

Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria are the seven countries those went against the resolution.