Changing her decision within 24 hours, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now considering joining the United Nations General Assembly.
The PM conveyed her willingness to join the UNGA at a meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday.
On Monday, Hasina had told her cabinet colleagues that she would not attend the UNGA because of her “busy schedules” of the upcoming parliament session. The foreign ministry also confirmed it.
But she changed her mind after receiving a phone call from Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN Dr Abdul Momen.
The PM told her colleagues at the Ecnec meeting that Dr Momen had informed her that among the developing countries only Bangladesh would get the chance to deliver speech at this year’s UNGA. Momen told Hasina that Bangladesh should not miss the opportunity, said sources from the meeting.
After hearing the PM, the ministers, including the finance and agriculture ministers, requested her to join the UN General Assembly.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Hasina should go to the US, even if only for a few days, but the PM said that would cause many party activities to remain unfinished.
However, talking to the Dhaka Tribune, a minister said Hasina’s attitude seemed positive and she might fly for the USA a day before her speech.
Sheikh Hasina is supposed to deliver her speech at the UNGA on September 27. The assembly starts on September 17 and will end on October 2.
The PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told the Dhaka Tribune last night that Hasina would present her government’s achievements in her UNGA speech. She would also hold meetings with leaders of other countries on the side line of the assembly.
Officials concerned told the Dhaka Tribune that Hasina would also seek an appointment with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to apprise him of her government’s position about a dialogue with the opposition and the next general elections.