DHAKA — Prime Minister Tarique Rahman returned home Sunday morning after concluding a five-day visit to New York, where he attended the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), delivered his maiden address to the General Debate and held a series of high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings. An Emirates flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:21 a.m., according to PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brigadier General (retd.) AKM Shamsul Islam, Whip Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu, local MP SM Jahangir Hossain, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar received the prime minister at the airport.
Tarique Rahman left Dhaka on September 21 and reached New York the same day after a stopover in Istanbul. He departed New York on September 25 and travelled through Dubai before returning to Dhaka. During his four working days in New York, the prime minister took part in 30 engagements, including 11 bilateral meetings, eight UNGA-related engagements and 11 institutional meetings. The prime minister and members of his delegation collectively represented Bangladesh at around 80 engagements, according to BSS.
A major highlight of the visit was Tarique Rahman’s first address to the UNGA General Debate on September 24. In his speech, he outlined Bangladesh’s positions on global peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, economic cooperation and humanitarian issues, while calling for conflicts to be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and cooperation.
The prime minister held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Türkiye, Iran, Pakistan, Croatia, Haiti, Bhutan and Thailand. He also met the vice president of the Maldives, the crown prince of Kuwait, the UAE’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, the Saudi foreign minister and Sweden’s foreign minister. The discussions covered bilateral relations, trade and investment, economic cooperation, manpower exports, energy security, regional and international issues and other areas of mutual interest.
The Rohingya crisis was another major issue during the visit. Tarique Rahman called for stronger international support for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar and discussed the issue with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih.
Climate change and the impact of rising sea levels also featured prominently in the prime minister’s engagements. He called for stronger global action to reduce emissions, greater access to climate finance and technology, and international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement and loss and damage. At a Bangladesh-Sweden-UNFPA high-level event on midwifery, Tarique Rahman outlined his government’s vision of a “Healthy Bangladesh,” with primary healthcare at the centre of health-sector reform. He said the government plans to recruit additional health workers and professional midwives while developing an integrated digital health system.
Economic diplomacy was also a significant part of the visit. At a breakfast meeting with Wall Street representatives hosted by JPMorgan Chase, the prime minister discussed Bangladesh’s economic prospects, investment opportunities and potential partnerships. During the visit, Biman Bangladesh Airlines also signed an agreement with Boeing for the purchase of 11 aircraft as Bangladesh plans to expand its aviation sector and open new international routes.
Tarique Rahman also held meetings with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman, International Peace Institute President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, among others. On September 22, Tarique Rahman and Dr. Zubaida Rahman attended a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for world leaders and their spouses before attending the opening of the UNGA General Debate. They later attended a reception hosted by US President Donald Trump for leaders participating in the General Assembly.
Dr. Zubaida Rahman also took part in several high-level engagements during the visit, including the UN General Assembly’s Platform of Women Leaders, the First Spouses’ Dialogue and a high-level event focusing on maternal and child health and midwifery. The New York visit marked Tarique Rahman’s first participation in the UN General Assembly as prime minister and included a broad programme of diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and multilateral engagements.
