Khalilur Rahman’s UN Role, Salary and Allowances!

NEW YORK: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman is carrying out his responsibilities in New York as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, with questions emerging over the reported cost of his accommodation, daily allowances, transportation and other expenses during his assignment.

A Sept. 26 report by journalist Chandan Nandy in Northeast News said Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had approved a monthly housing budget of up to $20,000 for Rahman’s residence in Manhattan. The report said the ministry had arranged accommodation for him during his assignment in New York. It also cited a monthly official housing allowance of $12,000 for Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

According to the report, a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry order dated Aug. 30, 2026, covered Rahman’s assignment from Aug. 31 through Oct. 21. The report said the government order also provided for a Mercedes-Benz vehicle for his official local transportation in New York.

The same report said Rahman, as a full Cabinet minister of Bangladesh, is entitled to a daily allowance of $420 while on official foreign duty. Based on that rate, the report calculated that an eight-month period of official duties would result in approximately $100,800 in daily allowances.

That eight-month figure is a calculation based on the reported $420 daily rate and should not be treated as a confirmed final government payment. The exact amount ultimately paid would depend on the applicable government rules, the actual number of eligible days and the official accounting records.

The United Nations separately states that the President of the General Assembly is not a UN employee and does not receive a UN salary. The UN’s guidance says the salary of the PGA is generally a matter for the government of the country that nominates the President. It also states that accommodation in New York is usually provided by the Permanent Mission of the sponsoring country.

Rahman was elected President of the 81st General Assembly on June 2, 2026. UN records show that he subsequently assumed the presidency when the 81st session opened in September. The UN election record shows that Rahman received 99 votes against 91 for Cyprus’s Andreas Kakouris.

The reported expenses therefore need to be distinguished from the operating costs of the Office of the President of the General Assembly. The two are not necessarily the same source of expenditure.

The Office of the President of the General Assembly has funding from the UN regular budget as well as a trust fund supported by Member States. The office uses those resources for activities connected to the presidency, including certain official travel and operational requirements.

Bangladesh has also pledged funds to the trust fund supporting the Office of the President of the General Assembly. However, such contributions should not automatically be interpreted as payments for Rahman’s personal salary, accommodation or daily allowance. The funding categories of the office and the personal entitlements of the PGA are separate matters.

UN guidance also indicates that travel costs for the President of the General Assembly can, depending on the circumstances, be supported either by the host country or by the regular budget of the Office of the President of the General Assembly.

The composition of Rahman’s office also involves several Bangladeshi officials. The UN’s staff profile for the 81st session lists 40 colleagues representing 29 nationalities. It distinguishes between regular-budget positions, staff seconded by Member States and positions supported through the Office of the President’s Trust Fund.

The Northeast News report said Rahman is supported in New York by six Bangladeshi officials, five of whom were drawn from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It said their salaries and overseas allowances remain linked to their respective government positions. Those details are based on the report and would require the underlying government records for independent verification.

The reported $20,000 monthly accommodation figure, $420 daily allowance and Mercedes-Benz vehicle therefore relate to Bangladesh’s reported arrangements for its Foreign Minister during his New York assignment. They should not be described as benefits paid by the United Nations unless separate UN records establish such payments.

The broader financial picture involves several different categories of expenditure. Rahman remains a Bangladeshi government minister whose salary is paid by Bangladesh, while his responsibilities as General Assembly President are supported through a combination of UN and Member State resources under the applicable rules.

At present, the most detailed public figures concerning Rahman’s accommodation, daily allowance and vehicle come from the Sept. 26 report by Chandan Nandy. The underlying Bangladesh Foreign Ministry order and complete financial records would provide a stronger basis for independently confirming the exact amounts and determining which government budget lines were used.

What is established by the UN is that Khalilur Rahman is President of the 81st General Assembly and is not a UN employee receiving a UN salary. The specific figures concerning his New York accommodation, daily allowance and vehicle remain matters that can be further verified against the underlying Bangladesh government documents.