Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will leave Dhaka for New York on Monday (21 September) to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He is scheduled to address the UNGA on 24 September.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, the prime minister’s visit to New York and the United States has been shortened. He is scheduled to leave New York for Dhaka on the night of 25 September, a day after delivering his speech at the UNGA.
Several senior ministry officials said the initial plan was for Tarique Rahman to stay in the United States from 21 to 29 September. Preparations were also underway for him to travel to San Francisco from New York.
Government sources said the delegation accompanying the prime minister on the shortened New York trip has also been kept small. The brief visit with a smaller delegation, compared with those of previous governments, reflects the government’s emphasis on austerity.
Foreign Ministry officials said Tarique Rahman is expected to attend several high-level UN meetings, Bangladesh-hosted events and hold separate bilateral meetings with leaders of various countries during his stay in New York.
The high-level UN meetings will focus on development, pandemic preparedness, rising sea levels and nuclear disarmament, among other issues.
Bangladesh will also host several events on the sidelines of the 81st UNGA session, including discussions on the Rohingya crisis.
Diplomatic sources in New York said preparations are underway for bilateral meetings between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and leaders of several countries on the sidelines of the UNGA session.
The leaders expected to meet the prime minister include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Tarique Rahman is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, European Council President António Costa, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Boeing Global President Brendan Nelson.
During the visit, the prime minister will also attend a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump.
