Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will lead a 35-member delegation, including four ministers, to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, marking his first appearance at the global forum.
Civil Aviation Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat is among the four ministers accompanying the prime minister, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said on Sunday.
Tarique is scheduled to fly to New York today and address the UNGA general debate on 24 September. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman will serve as the president of the session, making it a significant moment for Bangladesh, Siam said.
Tarique’s UN address will highlight Bangladesh’s democratic transition, rule of law, accountability, global peace and security, climate action, sustainable development and economic cooperation.
The prime minister is also expected to focus on youth and women’s empowerment, education, healthcare, the Rohingya crisis, access to modern technology and reforms of the multilateral system.
The foreign secretary shared details of the visit at a curtain-raiser briefing at the foreign ministry.
Asked whether Bangladesh could sign an aircraft purchase agreement with Boeing during the visit, Siam said the prime minister’s schedule remained flexible.
“When heads of state or government attend multilateral summits, the itinerary is fluid. Everything planned may not happen, and new engagements may also be added. It is an ongoing process,” he said.
Tarique’s visit will mark the current government’s first participation at the United Nations’ highest-level platform. He will stay in New York for four nights and return to Dhaka on 26 September.
Tarique will attend a series of high-level meetings during the visit.
On Tuesday, his first day in New York, he will attend a breakfast hosted by UN Secretary General António Guterres, join the opening session of the General Assembly and take part in a dinner reception hosted by US President Donald Trump.
The following day, he will attend a meeting with philanthropic and humanitarian organisations, a high-level UN event on climate action and just transition, and a side event on the Rohingya crisis.
On 24 September, he will attend a high-level meeting on threats posed by sea-level rise and a side event on midwifery organised by Bangladesh, Sweden and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
He will deliver his UNGA General Debate speech on the evening of 24 September, New York time.
On the sidelines of the assembly, Tarique is scheduled to hold meetings with several world leaders and senior officials of international organisations.
The planned meetings include those with the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the prime ministers of Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan, and Haiti.
Discussions are expected to focus on political and economic relations, trade and investment, development cooperation, and the Rohingya crisis.
He is also scheduled to meet Guterres, the president of the European Council, the president of the World Bank Group, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for Myanmar, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the president of the International Peace Institute.
Siam said the visit would provide an opportunity for Bangladesh to present its political commitments and development vision to the international community.
He said the UNGA was being held amid wars, humanitarian crises, geopolitical tensions and challenges to the multilateral system.
Climate change, forced displacement, migration, food and energy security, global health risks, inequality, development financing gaps and access to technology are among the major issues expected to receive attention, he said.
“The time for implementing the 2030 Agenda is rapidly running out. Restoring mutual trust among nations, resolving disputes through dialogue, diplomacy and international law, strengthening international cooperation and making the multilateral system more effective and inclusive are expected to receive special attention,” Siam said.
