Photo: Video Screenshot
DHAKA, Nov 13, 2026 (BSS) – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s pre-election pledges, including planting 250 million trees and excavating canals, are now being implemented, his Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibli said yesterday, adding that the PM also highlighted them at COP31 in Antalya, Turkiye.
“Prior to assuming office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had outlined plans to plant 250 million trees and excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals. He reaffirmed these plans at yesterday’s global climate conference, and they are now being implemented,” he said.
The Press Secretary made the remarks at a press briefing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport this morning, after the Prime Minister returned home from the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).
A Turkish Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at the airport at 5:40 am.
Saleh Shibli said the Prime Minister placed five demands on behalf of Bangladesh at the conference.
“Our Prime Minister delivered his speech yesterday. You have already seen that he placed five demands on behalf of Bangladesh. Discussions are still going on, and seminars are continuing,” he said.
Describing the Prime Minister’s schedule, he said, “The Prime Minister had many bilateral and multilateral meetings. There were also seminars and symposiums on various issues. Those are still continuing.”
Saleh Shibli said further details of Bangladesh’s demands at the conference would be made available, expressing hope that the Foreign Ministry would brief the media on them in a day or two.
The Press Secretary also spoke about the size of the Prime Minister’s entourage.
“Only 21 people went on this Turkiye visit. This is a positive aspect. Another aspect is that when the Prime Minister used to come and go, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people were supposed to gather. But we have moved out of that culture,” he said.
The Prime Minister arrived in Antalya on November 10 on a three-day visit to attend COP31 and the Antalya Leaders’ Summit.
On Thursday, he addressed the High-Level Segment of COP31, calling for five urgent actions on behalf of climate-vulnerable countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, he held bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and UK Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband.
He also held courtesy calls with the Presidents of Brazil, the Maldives, Iran, Syria and Somalia, and the Prime Ministers of Moldova, Pakistan and Kuwait, and met the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Mayor of London and representatives of various international organisations.
