PM Tarique Heads Home After Five-Day UNGA Visit

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left New York for Dhaka on Friday night after a five-day visit to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he delivered his maiden UNGA address and held a series of bilateral and high-level meetings on Bangladesh’s national interests and global priorities.

An Emirates flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage left John F Kennedy International Airport at 11:35pm local time for Dubai, Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu said.

The flight is scheduled to reach Dubai at 8pm on Saturday and depart for Dhaka at 2am on Sunday. The prime minister is expected to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40am on Sunday.

At JFK Airport, Tarique and Zubaida were seen off by Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan, Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tariq Mohammad Ariful Islam and senior officials of the UN mission and embassy.

Several expatriate BNP leaders and activists also gathered outside the airport terminal to see the prime minister off.

Tarique arrived in New York on September 21, leading a 35-member delegation that included Zubaida, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, and State Ministers Humaiun Kobir and Shama Obaed Islam, among other officials.

UNGA Address and Global Priorities

During the visit, Tarique addressed the UN General Assembly General Debate for the first time, presenting Bangladesh’s positions on global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian crises, economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis.

In his September 24 address, he reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support for UN efforts to promote global peace and humanity and called for conflicts to be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and mutual cooperation.

He also outlined the government’s three-R strategy — Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction — for rebuilding Bangladesh and said the government aims to establish a prosperous, self-reliant and welfare-oriented democratic state through political and economic empowerment.

On the Rohingya crisis, Tarique said safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar remains the only lasting solution and called for stronger international support to create conditions conducive to their return.

Bilateral and High-Level Meetings

During his stay, the prime minister met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, International Peace Institute President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman.

He also held bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Maldives Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef.

Separate meetings were held with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.

The meetings covered bilateral relations, trade and investment, manpower export, energy, economic cooperation and regional and international issues.

During his meeting with Turkish President Erdogan, Tarique discussed expanding Bangladesh-Türkiye trade and investment and exploring new areas of economic cooperation.

His meetings with the leaders of Bhutan, Haiti and the Maldives focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation. Discussions with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic covered trade and investment, economic partnership, skilled manpower, education, technology and cooperation in multilateral forums.

Rohingya, Climate and Health

Tarique participated in high-level events on the Rohingya crisis, sea-level rise, climate action and a just transition, and the integration of midwifery into primary healthcare.

At the sea-level-rise event, he called for stronger global action to reduce emissions, predictable and accessible climate finance, wider access to climate-resilient technologies and greater international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement.

At the climate action event, he urged collective global action to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure predictable climate finance for vulnerable countries.

At the health event, he highlighted Bangladesh’s efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths and expand access to primary healthcare.

Economic and Investment Engagements

During the visit, Bangladesh also signed an agreement with Boeing for Biman Bangladesh Airlines to purchase 11 aircraft as part of efforts to expand the country’s aviation sector and open new international routes.

On September 23, Tarique attended a breakfast meeting with representatives of the Gates Foundation, Visa Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, International Rescue Committee and Rotary International. Discussions covered humanitarian challenges, international cooperation, climate change, sustainable development and economic partnership.

He also met Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman to discuss public health, child healthcare, vaccination, affordable vaccines, preventive healthcare and modernisation of the health system.

On the final day of the visit, Tarique attended a breakfast meeting hosted by JPMorgan Chase at its Manhattan headquarters with Wall Street representatives.

Telling investors that “Bangladesh is open for business”, he highlighted investment opportunities in energy, infrastructure, logistics, technology, digital services, climate finance, manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare.

The prime minister said Bangladesh aims to build a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and become a globally connected manufacturing, investment and services hub.

He later held meetings with the leaders of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to discuss bilateral relations and areas of cooperation.

30 Formal Programmes

PM’s Adviser and PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin said earlier Friday that Tarique held 30 formal programmes, including 11 bilateral meetings with countries, during his visit.

He said Bangladesh’s national interests, trade and investment, manpower export, energy security, regional cooperation, the Rohingya crisis, healthcare, climate change and global peace featured prominently in the meetings and programmes.

Mahdi said the prime minister attended eight programmes directly linked to the UN General Assembly and four high-level side events, while also meeting heads of international organisations and other dignitaries.

“Altogether, the Prime Minister and members of his delegation represented Bangladesh at around 80 different programmes during the four-day visit,” he said.

Tarique arrived in New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Sunday.