Tarique Rahman to Visit New York on Monday for UN Session

Tarique Rahman, the Prime Minister and BNP Chairman, is set to leave Dhaka for New York next Monday (September 21) to participate in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to deliver a speech on behalf of Bangladesh at the session on September 24. Plans are in place for him to return home on the night of September 25 following this brief visit. The decision to shorten the itinerary has also been reported in various media outlets.

During his stay in New York, he will participate in several high-level UN meetings and discussions hosted by Bangladesh. He is expected to take part in meetings addressing issues such as development, pandemic response, rising sea levels, and nuclear disarmament. Additionally, a discussion regarding the Rohingya crisis will be held under Bangladesh's initiative.

Preparations are underway for bilateral meetings with heads of government and senior officials from various countries on the sidelines of the UN session. Issues of national interest to Bangladesh are likely to be discussed during these meetings. There is also a possibility of meetings with key international figures, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, and World Bank President Ajay Banga.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that he will attend a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump during the visit. However, relevant sources have indicated that the schedules for potential meetings with various leaders could change, and some meetings might only be finalized at the last minute.

Earlier, there had been plans for a longer visit to the United States. Initially, there was talk of him staying in the country from September 21 to 29 or 30 and visiting San Francisco in addition to New York. However, the trip was subsequently shortened, and the itinerary was limited to programs centered in New York. Sources stated that this decision was made to manage time effectively and reduce state expenditure.

Multiple sources have also confirmed that plans for a civic reception in New York in his honor have been cancelled. Party sources indicated that he is not interested in holding a large-scale reception funded by the state. Furthermore, while there was a possibility of organizing an event under party auspices, it reportedly could not be realized due to the brevity of the visit.