'The UN matters, but it should do more': a conversation with journalists from Bangladesh.

• Author: Ferdous, Hasan

Let me begin with a confession. The idea of meeting in a trendy, if slightly pricy, mid-Manhattan restaurant was mine; it was only a stone's throw away from UN Headquarters, but more important it touts having as its culinary guru Madhur Jeffrey, a world-class actress and culinary expert, who is also a former UN guide. I was going to meet four old friends and obviously wanted to have the right food to go with it. The four journalists--all from Bangladesh's vernacular press--were in New York as part of a multi-state trip arranged by the United States Information Service. The United States elections were only days away, and USIS wanted the journalists to get a first-hand experience with the electioneering here.

I wanted to know how they viewed the United Nations. The four seemed almost unanimous: the world body is very important, but it is no longer the master of its own decisions. A handful of nations, especially the superpowers, are calling all the shots. Some nations that do not agree with the overall thrust of the Organization are easily shut off. Abed Khan, Editor of Bhorer Kagaj, articulated a view that clearly resonated with the rest. "When we see the UN bowing to the wishes of one or two major powers, we get deeply hurt. We have invested so much in this Organization and in its future. Yet, it is no longer capable of either reflecting our hopes or defending our rights. It speaks of great ideals, but does little to uphold them."

Sanaullah, News Editor of Prothom-Alo, quickly grabbed Khan's last words. "The UN role should be to unite the nations, not divide them." With an irreverent look, he said: "Look how the UN is dominated by one superpower. If its survival is linked to the whims of a single Member State, that does not bode well for this body touted as a universal organization." Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Editor of Manav Jamin, stressed that "one can criticize the UN for its failures, but nobody can dismiss its successes as well." The United Nations was very popular in Bangladesh, he said, and its role was evident everywhere, from development work to illiteracy campaigns to child immunization.

Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Executive Editor of Ajker Kagaj and the youngest in the group, picked up the same thought. "In Bangladesh, we greatly value the role of the United Nations, especially its specialized agencies and programmes, such as the United Nations Children's Fund, the UN Development Programme and the World Health Organization. They are...