Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Türkiye’s Antalya on Tuesday afternoon to attend the World Leaders’ Summit of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) and hold bilateral meetings with leaders of different countries.
A Turkish Airlines flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at Antalya Airport at 4:05pm local time, said his Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.
The flight made a brief stopover in Istanbul after departing Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 7:30am Bangladesh time. It was scheduled to leave Istanbul at 2:45pm local time.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at 6:30pm local time at Maxx Royal Hotel, according to his tour schedule and foreign ministry sources.
COP31 began in Antalya on Monday and will continue until November 20. The two-day World Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for November 11-12.
Tarique is scheduled to address a plenary session on November 12 and hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury said at a briefing in Dhaka on Monday.
The prime minister is expected to outline Bangladesh’s position and priorities on climate justice, the historical responsibility of developed countries, climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate-resilient sustainable development.
The foreign secretary said Bangladesh’s priorities include securing adaptation finance, addressing loss and damage, and ensuring effective implementation of developed countries’ climate finance commitments.
Although Bangladesh accounts for only 0.05% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, he said, stressing that securing climate justice is a key priority.
Bangladesh will also highlight its achievements in climate resilience and share its experience in addressing climate impacts across South Asia and the wider Asian region.
The country has taken an initiative to establish a jute pavilion in the conference’s Green Zone to showcase the versatility of jute, its environment-friendly properties and its potential as an alternative to plastic.
A joint declaration between Bangladesh and Türkiye on the use and promotion of jute and jute products is also expected to be signed during the conference, the foreign secretary said.
The foreign ministry will organise two side events in the Blue Zone on November 12 and 13. One will focus on gender-based vulnerability in Bangladesh caused by climate change, while the other will address challenges in promoting environment-friendly, biodegradable and zero-waste jute products.
The prime minister is scheduled to leave Antalya for Dhaka at 4:15pm local time on November 12. The flight is expected to arrive in Dhaka at 5:50am on November 13.