Bangladesh will put its national interests at the centre of more than a dozen bilateral and multilateral engagements on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman begins his first UNGA visit as head of government.
Kobir also ruled out the possibility of a bilateral meeting between Tarique Rahman and US President Donald Trump during the visit.
“The prime minister has come on this visit to attend the UN session,” the state minister told reporters in response to a question about a possible meeting with Trump.
Tarique arrived in New York on Monday evening local time to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, where he is scheduled to deliver his maiden address as prime minister on September 24.
His visit comes with a packed diplomatic agenda, with more than a dozen bilateral, multilateral and courtesy meetings expected on the sidelines of the UN gathering.
Bangladesh has said the engagements will focus on advancing its diplomatic and economic priorities.
A Turkish Airlines flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at John F Kennedy International Airport at 6:20pm on Monday local time after a stopover in Istanbul.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan, Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Deputy Permanent Representative AKM Wahiduzzaman received Tarique and Zubaida at the VIP lounge of Terminal 1.
After completing airport formalities, the prime minister was taken in a motorcade to the Hyatt Grand Central New York, where he will stay during the visit.
Tarique left Dhaka early Monday morning accompanied by his wife and a high-level delegation that includes ministers, state ministers, senior government officials and advisers.
His official engagements are set to begin on Tuesday with a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of state and government.
He is also scheduled to attend the opening of the UNGA session and a reception hosted by the US president for visiting heads of state and government and their spouses.
The centrepiece of the visit will be Tarique’s first address to the UN General Assembly as prime minister on September 24.
His speech is expected to set out Bangladesh’s positions on its democratic transition, rule of law and accountability, global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, economic cooperation, the Rohingya crisis and reform of the multilateral system.
The visit marks the incumbent government’s first appearance at the United Nations’ highest-level annual gathering since taking office.