Seeking peace and stability in the Middle East, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus has said it is nearly impossible to combat poverty when global food and energy markets are destabilised by war.

"As a former head of government of the world’s eighth most populous nation, I have seen firsthand how nearly impossible it is to combat poverty when global food and energy markets are destabilized by war," he said.

Prof Yunus said this cycle of violence must end, as the world can no longer bear the weight of these mounting humanitarian crises.

"​May this Eid bring the peace and stability the region so desperately needs. Eid Mubarak to all," he said.

​Here in Bangladesh, the anxiety is deeply personal, said Prof Yunus in a message on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr being celebrated in Bangladesh today.

He said millions of families are living in constant fear for the safety of their sons, daughters, and parents working abroad.

Tragically, Prof Yunus said, the reach of this war has already been felt at home as they mourn the Bangladeshis killed by missile strikes in the region.

​He said the world simply cannot afford another regional conflagration, especially as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth devastating year.

"These conflicts do not exist in a vacuum; they hit the world’s most vulnerable the hardest," Prof Yunus said, noting that global prices have surged, making basic nutrition a struggle for billions of people.

Soaring costs are pushing more families into systemic poverty, he added.

​As nearly two billion Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, Prof Yunus said his heart and thoughts are with the millions of people affected by conflict across Iran, Lebanon, and the Gulf.

Thousands have lost their lives and millions more have been displaced by a devastating war imposed upon the people of Iran.

"While there were clear avenues for peace to avoid this deadly escalation, the path of military confrontation was chosen instead," Prof Yunus said.

He said this cycle of violence has now rippled across the region, affecting several Gulf nations in the wake of retaliatory actions.

​"During this time of celebration, my most fervent hope is for peace to finally prevail. The cycle of conflict that has consumed West Asia for decades must end," Prof Yunus said.

"It is my prayer that the people of Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, the Gulf nations, and Israel find a shared path toward peaceful coexistence," he mentioned.