Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has left the United States for home after wrapping up a five-day visit to New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He set off for Dhaka via Dubai on an Emirates flight from New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport at 11:30pm local time. He is accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and his entourage.
The prime minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly confirmed the information to BSS.
According to the schedule, the flight will reach Dubai at 8:00pm on 26 September. Departing again from there at 2:00am, the prime minister is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40am on 27 September.
During this visit, the prime minister spoke in Bangla at the general debate of the UN General Assembly for the first time. In his speech, he presented before world leaders Bangladesh’s position and priorities on various issues including global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian crises, economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis.
In that speech on 24 September, the prime minister reiterated Bangladesh’s support for the UN’s initiatives to establish global humanity and peace. He called for giving importance to dialogue, diplomacy and mutual cooperation in resolving conflicts.
He also expressed his pledge to build a prosperous, self-reliant and welfare-oriented democratic Bangladesh by empowering the people politically and economically and ensuring equal opportunities for all. To this end, the prime minister highlighted the government’s ‘Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction’ or three-R strategy.
On the Rohingya crisis, he said the only solution to this protracted crisis is safe and dignified repatriation. He sought stronger cooperation from the international community in creating an environment conducive to voluntary repatriation.
During the visit, the prime minister held separate meetings with Julie Bishop, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy on Myanmar, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih.
In the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussions were held on increasing Bangladesh-Turkey trade and investment and finding new areas of economic cooperation. Emphasis was also laid on the need for coordination on various regional and international issues.
In separate meetings with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Maldivian Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, the prime minister spoke about further strengthening the existing friendly relations and new areas of bilateral, regional and international cooperation.
In the meeting with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, discussions were held on Bangladesh’s development priorities, economic progress, increasing the World Bank’s cooperation and new areas of partnership.
The prime minister also held a meeting with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime. Bilateral relations, mutual interests and issues of regional and international cooperation came up there.
On 22 September, the prime minister and his wife took part in the welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in honour of world leaders and their spouses. Later, they also attended the reception given by the US president in honour of the leaders attending the UN General Assembly.
On 23 September, the prime minister held a breakfast meeting with representatives of the Gates Foundation, Visa Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, International Rescue Committee and Rotary International. Bangladesh’s perspective on humanitarian challenges, international cooperation, climate change, sustainable development and economic partnership was presented there.
At the same time, he also held a meeting with Gates Foundation Chief Executive Officer Mark Suzman. Public health, child care, immunisation, affordable vaccines, preventive healthcare and modernisation of the health system were discussed at the meeting.
The prime minister also spoke at the high-level meeting titled ‘Climate Action and the Just Transition’. He called for collective global action to ensure a safe and sustainable future for the next generation, rapid and large-scale reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and predictable climate finance for climate-vulnerable countries.
In the meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, expansion of trade and investment, economic partnership, skilled manpower, education and technology, and increasing cooperation in multilateral forums featured prominently.
As part of economic diplomacy, a deal was signed during this visit for Biman Bangladesh Airlines to purchase 11 aircraft from Boeing. Through this, the initiative to expand the country’s air transport sector and launch new international routes was highlighted.
On 24 September, the prime minister delivered the opening remarks at the high-level meeting on the existential threat created by sea-level rise. He called for rapid and large-scale reduction of global carbon emissions, predictable and accessible adaptation finance, wider use of climate-resilient technology and stronger international cooperation.
In a bilateral meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations, the regional and international situation and potential areas of cooperation.
At the high-level event on midwifery organised by Bangladesh, Sweden and UNFPA, the prime minister presented his plan to build a ‘Healthy Bangladesh’. He said primary healthcare would be kept as the central foundation in reforming the health sector.
The prime minister said the government is planning to recruit another one lakh health workers. Of them, 80,000 will be women and 25,000 will be professional midwives. He also spoke of a plan to build an integrated digital health system.
In the bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, gratitude was expressed for Bangladesh’s role in sheltering the Rohingyas and for Bangladesh’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. The UN secretary-general also praised Bangladesh’s role in climate resilience and multilateral activities.
The prime minister also held a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Later, he attended a dinner hosted by Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN.
Today, the last day of the New York visit, the prime minister took part in a breakfast meeting with Wall Street representatives hosted by JPMorgan at the firm’s headquarters in Manhattan. He then held a bilateral meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
During this five-day visit, besides taking part in various programmes of the UN General Assembly, the prime minister held meetings with several heads of state and government and representatives of international organisations and economic and development partner institutions.
