Fakhrul, Three Other Politicians To Accompany CA On New York Visit

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will arrive in New York on 22 September to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he will deliver Bangladesh’s official statement and participate in a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told reporters at a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy that the Chief Adviser is scheduled to address the UNGA on 26 September. In his speech, Prof Yunus is expected to reflect on the past year’s activities and reaffirm the interim government’s commitment to genuine democracy through reforms and elections planned for February next year.

Hossain said four political leaders — BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, and National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Akhter Hossen — will accompany the Chief Adviser as part of Bangladesh’s delegation to the UNGA.

Prof Yunus will also hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines, details of which are being finalized.

Present at the briefing were Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Chief Adviser will depart Dhaka on a commercial flight on 22 September and return home on 2 October, Hossain said.

This year’s General Debate, scheduled for 23–27 and 29 September, will see heads of state and government outline their priorities in the face of complex global challenges. UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarked: “Eighty years ago, from the ashes of war, the world planted a seed of hope. One Charter, one vision, one promise: that peace is possible when humanity stands together.”

Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th UNGA, has set the theme “Better Together”, underscoring unity, solidarity, and collective action. The Assembly, under the theme “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”, comes at a crucial time to reinforce global commitment to multilateralism, solidarity, and shared action.

The high-level week will emphasize urgent action on the Sustainable Development Goals and renewed global cooperation. Among key events, the UNGA will host a high-level plenary on 30 September to address the crisis facing Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. Prof Yunus will attend the meeting, which seeks to sustain international attention, assess conditions on the ground, and propose a concrete, time-bound plan for sustainable resolution, including the safe and dignified return of displaced communities.

With the climate crisis escalating, the UN Secretary-General will convene a Climate Summit on 24 September, ahead of COP30 in Brazil. The summit will provide a platform for leaders to present new national climate action plans and accelerate progress toward the Paris Agreement goals while harnessing the benefits of the clean energy transition.

On 22 September, the UN will hold a high-level meeting to mark its 80th anniversary, where global leaders will reflect on the institution’s achievements and the path forward for a more inclusive multilateral system.

The same day, the UN will also resume the high-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The conference will reaffirm international support for the two-State solution and explore ways to mobilize concrete steps toward its realization.