Bangladesh formally became a  member of the United Nations on 17 September 1974. But before this historic moment several scenes had been played out and many battles fought—both military and diplomatic. Finally, Bangladesh was able to establish herself as a sovereign nation. To give a glimpse of what transpired during the delay in the country attaining the UN membership, the author goes back in time and traces the political lineage of Bangladesh, from Ancient Bengal, through the Mughal and Colonial periods to her present national sovereignty. This has richly influenced her cultural heritage and made Bangladeshis who they are today — an independent-spirited people driven to fight for their rights, values and vision of a better life. The author in describing the obstacles Bangladesh faced, shows how these experiences influenced her multilateral foreign policy to be centred around the culture of peace. The author also brings to the spotlight the status of implementation in Bangladesh of other common principles that the UN shares  with its Member States, viz. UN conventions, covenants and protocols that set norms and standards ranging from the safety level of arsenic in drinking water to corruption.