Dhaka, Sep 16 (IANS): Bangladesh has been elected as a member of the executive board of three United Nations bodies for the term 2021-2023, starting from January 1 next year, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

Bangladesh secured the highest votes (53 out of the 54 votes with one abstention) to become member of the executive board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, 54 members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations voted to elect members to eight of the ECOSOC subsidiary bodies at the United Nations headquarters on Monday.

Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said the election is a demonstration of the trust and confidence that Bangladesh enjoys due to its strong legacy of working together with the UN entities and their Executive Boards towards socio-economic emancipation of the country under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh is also a current member at the executive boards of UNICEF and UN Women, it said, adding that Ambassador Rabab Fatima, the permanent representative Bangladesh at the United Nations, is the current president of the executive board of UNICEF, it added.