Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will highlight Bangladesh’s new democratic journey and major global challenges in his first address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, with the prolonged Rohingya crisis set to receive particular attention.
The prime minister will deliver his speech in Bangla on September 24, presenting the government’s vision for Bangladesh’s future and outlining its positions on key regional and global issues.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam disclosed the key themes of the speech at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
He said Tarique Rahman would speak about Bangladesh’s democratic journey, the rule of law, accountability, global peace and security, climate change and sustainable development.
The speech will also cover economic cooperation, youth and women’s empowerment, education, healthcare, the Rohingya crisis, equitable use of modern technology and reform of the multilateral system.
Siam described the address as significant because it will be Tarique Rahman’s first participation in the UN General Assembly as prime minister. It will also provide the current government with an opportunity to present its political commitments and vision for Bangladesh’s future to the international community.
Alongside his General Assembly address, the prime minister will seek renewed international attention to the long-running Rohingya crisis and efforts to build stronger global cooperation toward a solution.
On September 23, he will attend a Bangladesh-hosted side event on the Rohingya issue. There, he is expected to call for effective international support to facilitate the earliest possible repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Responding to a question, the foreign secretary described the Rohingya crisis as an ongoing problem and said Bangladesh would again highlight its severity and the challenges it has created before world leaders.
“The scale of the Rohingya crisis, the challenges it has created, and the international assistance and cooperation Bangladesh needs will once again be presented to the world,” Siam said.
Bangladesh has consistently maintained that the permanent solution to the crisis is the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Climate change will also be a major priority during the prime minister’s visit, with Bangladesh seeking more effective global action on the issue.
On September 23, Tarique Rahman will attend a high-level meeting titled “Climate Action and the Just Transition,” organised at the initiative of the UN secretary-general.
The following day, he will deliver the opening remarks at another high-level meeting on existential risks arising from sea-level rise.
At these climate-related meetings, the prime minister will highlight the concerns of countries vulnerable to climate change, particularly issues involving climate finance, adaptation, technology transfer, loss and damage, and climate justice.
In his General Assembly speech, he will also outline Bangladesh’s priorities on global peace and security, sustainable development and economic cooperation. He is expected to call for greater opportunities for youth and women and equitable access to modern technology.
The prime minister will also emphasise reform of the multilateral system to address existing global challenges through effective and inclusive solutions.
On September 24, Tarique Rahman will attend another side event on maternal and newborn health and midwifery as the chief guest.
He will present the new government’s initiatives and future plans for protecting maternal and child health and stress the importance of skilled and professionally trained midwifery services.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said the UN’s core programmes would receive the highest priority during the prime minister’s visit, while schedules for bilateral and other meetings were being finalised according to circumstances.
During the General Assembly, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the prime ministers of Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan and Haiti.
The meetings are expected to cover political and economic relations, trade and investment, development cooperation, the Rohingya crisis and other issues of mutual interest.
The prime minister is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the president of the European Council, the president of the World Bank Group, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for Myanmar, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the president of the International Peace Institute.
As part of the government’s economic diplomacy, he will also meet senior representatives of Meta, Wall Street and several other business organisations.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to leave Dhaka for New York on September 21 and return home after completing his engagements on September 25.
