Tarique’s busy UNGA schedule includes major diplomatic engagements.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is having a hectic time in New York while attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Since his arrival in the city on September 21, he attended a series of high-level events, bilateral meetings and diplomatic engagements with world leaders and representatives of international organisations, prioritising the interests of Bangladesh and its people and the dignity of the state.
However, the Prime Minister will maintain his busy schedule with a number of important engagements in the coming days, including his address to the UN General Assembly on September 24.
During his stay in New York, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to focus on key issues including global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian concerns, economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis.
On September 22, the first full day of his UNGA engagements, the Prime Minister attended a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for heads of delegations and their spouses at the UN Headquarters.
Later, he attended the opening ceremony of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the General Assembly Hall.
The day-long programme also included bilateral and courtesy meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Maldives Vice-President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé at the UN Headquarters.
He also held meetings with UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
In the evening, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman attended a reception hosted by the President of the United States for the world leaders attending the 81st UN General Assembly.
On September 23, the Prime Minister’s engagements will centre around humanitarian issues, climate action and international cooperation.
He will attend a breakfast meeting with representatives of international philanthropic and humanitarian organisations at Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Representatives from several global organisations, including Gates Foundation, Visa Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, International Rescue Committee and Rotary International, are expected to participate in the meeting.
Later, he will attend a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability” at the UN Headquarters.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and participate in a high-level meeting on “Climate Action and the Just Transition”, where he is expected to make his remarks.
The major highlight of the Prime Minister’s visit will be his address to the general debate of the 81st UN General Assembly on September 24.
According to the schedule, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to deliver his speech at around 5:30pm (New York time) at the General Assembly Hall. He is scheduled as the 11th speaker among 18 speakers in the afternoon session, with a voluntary time limit of 15 minutes for his address.
Earlier that day, the Prime Minister will attend a high-level meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise, where he is scheduled to deliver opening remarks.
He will also hold bilateral meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Following his UNGA address, the Prime Minister will attend a dinner to be hosted in his honour by the Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the United Nations at Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York.
Before leaving New York on September 25, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend a breakfast meeting with representatives of Wall Street hosted by JPMorgan at its headquarters in Manhattan.
He is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on the same day.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave New York for Dhaka by an Emirates flight on September 25 morning via Dubai.
