Bangladesh abstained from voting in the UN resolution on the disappearance of 130,000 Syrians, as the country did not want to make it a "political issue".

"The main purpose of the abstention is that we don't want to make it a political issue," Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told The Daily Star today after an event at the Foreign Service Academy.

A foreign ministry official said Bangladesh's general principle is to abstain from voting in any country-specific resolution, except for that of Myanmar as Bangladesh is directly affected by Myanmar's actions related to the Rohingyas.

Bangladesh and India are among the 62 countries which abstained from voting in the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on June 29 on a mechanism to help families of 130,000 Syrians who disappeared with means to know the whereabouts of their relatives and beloved ones

The UN General Assembly approved the resolution that will establish an independent body to determine what happened to more than 130,000 people missing as a result of the conflict in Syria, reports AP.

The resolution, an important response to appeals by their families and loved ones, was adopted by the 193-member world body on a vote of 83-11 with 62 abstentions. Among those opposing the resolution was Syria, which said it will not cooperate with the new institution. Russia, China, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and Iran also voted no, it said.

The resolution, spearheaded by Luxembourg, noted that after 12 years of fighting in Syria "little progress has been achieved in alleviating the suffering of families by providing answers as to the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons."