Acting Foreign Minister Humaiun Kobir will represent Bangladesh at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is scheduled to take place from November 1 to 4 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
His broader engagements at the CHOGM are expected to provide opportunities for Bangladesh to strengthen diplomatic relations and discuss issues of mutual interest with Commonwealth partners, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
The CHOGM is a biennial summit bringing together heads of government, ministers and representatives from business, civil society and youth organisations, a senior official said, noting that the event marks a significant occasion for the Caribbean nation.
Kobir is on his way to Antigua and Barbuda to lead Bangladesh's delegation to CHOGM 2026, with the status and protocol privileges of a full cabinet minister.
He left Dhaka on Saturday morning for St John’s, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, where the four-day Commonwealth summit begins today. He is scheduled to reach St John’s today after travelling via Dubai and London.
The acting foreign minister will represent Bangladesh at the high-level gathering, having been accorded the status, authority and protocol privileges of a full cabinet minister for the duration of the meeting, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He will attend the opening and executive sessions of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), as well as several foreign minister-level meetings and a number of bilateral meetings with ministers from other countries.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, but it could not be confirmed whether the two ministers would meet on the sidelines of the CHOGM.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on October 25, Kobir was accorded full cabinet ministerial status specifically to lead the Bangladesh delegation to CHOGM 2026 and discharge the responsibilities of the foreign minister during the summit.
The notification, signed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani, granted him the authority under Clause 4(iii) of the Rules of Business, 1996.
Under the arrangement, the state minister will represent Bangladesh at the Commonwealth's highest-level political gathering with the rank and protocol privileges of a cabinet minister.
This year's meeting is being held under the theme "Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth".
The gathering will focus on strengthening partnerships among member countries, promoting sustainable investment and addressing shared challenges, including climate resilience, trade, innovation and sustainable development.
The Commonwealth comprises 56 member countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.
The CHOGM is the Commonwealth’s principal forum for dialogue and collective decision-making.
Since the first meeting in 1971, it has brought leaders together as equal partners to address shared challenges and advance cooperation across diverse regions and economies.