Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s engagements during his visit to New York have focused on advancing Bangladesh’s interests, strengthening regional and global cooperation, and presenting the country’s priorities on the world stage, PM’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said on Thursday.
He made the remarks at a press briefing at the United Nations headquarters in New York after the Prime Minister’s engagements on the third day of his visit to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Mahdi said the Prime Minister’s programmes on the day covered multilateral engagements, high-level bilateral meetings and two thematic events on climate change and health.
He said Tarique held meetings with the prime ministers of Pakistan and Thailand, where they discussed ways to strengthen regional cooperation and people-to-people ties based on equality, fairness and mutual respect.
At a high-level meeting on the threats posed by sea-level rise, the spokesperson said the Prime Minister highlighted Bangladesh’s environmental priorities, including a plan to plant 250 million trees over five years and dredge more than 20,000 kilometres of canals.
He also presented plans concerning the proposed Padma Barrage and Teesta mega plan and put forward four proposals aimed at addressing climate-related challenges.
At another high-level event on integrating midwifery into primary healthcare, Mahdi said the Prime Minister outlined Bangladesh’s plans to reduce maternal and child mortality and expand healthcare services at the grassroots level.
He said the Prime Minister wants to ensure healthcare reaches every family, particularly in rural and marginalised communities.
Mahdi also highlighted Tarique’s meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, describing it as a “very fruitful” meeting.
He said the UN chief congratulated the Prime Minister on his electoral victory and the return of Bangladesh to a democratic system through what he described as a peaceful and acceptable election.
According to Mahdi, Guterres thanked Bangladesh for hosting Rohingyas and for the contribution of its military personnel to UN peacekeeping operations.
He also appreciated Bangladesh’s role in climate resilience and its contribution to multilateralism, he said.
During the meeting, Tarique discussed Bangladesh’s role in global peacekeeping and multilateral cooperation and expressed his interest in strengthening the country’s engagement with the United Nations, Mahdi said.
He said the Prime Minister’s address to the General Assembly reflected Bangladesh’s priorities on global peace, Palestine, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as inclusive development.
Tarique also outlined his government’s policy priorities on health, education, agriculture, employment, technology and the environment, including the Family Card, Farmer Card, e-Health Card and a proposed universal card, Mahdi said.
“The Prime Minister presented a roadmap for building a prosperous, self-reliant and welfare-oriented Bangladesh,” he said.
Mahdi said the Prime Minister also spoke about strengthening democracy and the rule of law and ensuring human rights.
He said the Prime Minister’s UNGA address went beyond Bangladesh’s national interests and highlighted issues of global peace and cooperation.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s participation in the UN General Assembly, Mahdi said it was also significant that Tarique was the third member of his family to represent Bangladesh at the world body, following his father Ziaur Rahman and mother Khaleda Zia.
He also noted that Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is presiding over the 81st UN General Assembly.
Mahdi said the Prime Minister has been maintaining a busy schedule throughout his four-day New York visit, attending programmes from morning until late in the day.
The Prime Minister arrived in New York on Monday to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. He is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Sunday.