Tarique Rahman held 30 official engagements during New York visit: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took part in 30 formal programmes, including 11 bilateral meetings with different countries, during his five-day visit to New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

PM’s Adviser and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin confirmed the information while briefing Bangladeshi journalists at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN in New York on Friday.

He said Bangladesh’s national interests, trade and investment, manpower exports, energy security, regional cooperation, the Rohingya crisis, healthcare, climate change and global peace were among the key issues discussed during the meetings and programmes.

Of the 30 programmes, eight were directly linked to the UN General Assembly, while the Prime Minister attended four high-level side events, held 11 bilateral meetings and met heads of international organisations and other dignitaries, Mahdi said.

The bilateral meetings focused on issues of importance to Bangladesh, including strengthening people-to-people ties, expanding trade and investment and deepening partnerships, he said.

Tarique Rahman began Friday’s engagements with a breakfast meeting hosted by JPMorgan Chase with around 20 leading Wall Street investors. Discussions centred on ways to boost investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the financial sector.

He later met the president of the International Peace Institute, where Bangladesh’s return to democracy and its role in promoting peace and the rule of law were discussed, Mahdi said.

The Prime Minister also met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with discussions covering human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Bangladesh.

On Friday, Tarique Rahman held three bilateral meetings with leaders from the Middle East — the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the Saudi foreign minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.

“Bangladesh’s interests were discussed in all three meetings,” Mahdi said.

The discussions included protecting the interests of Bangladeshi workers, expanding manpower exports, cooperation in the energy and mineral sectors and attracting investment to Bangladesh. All three countries also invited the Prime Minister to visit them, he said.

“Bangladesh wants to take its relations with these countries to a new level in the areas of manpower export, energy security, trade and investment,” the PMO spokesperson said.

Providing an overview of the Prime Minister’s programme, Mahdi said Tarique Rahman attended eight events directly related to the General Assembly and delivered speeches at five of them.

He also met the presidents of the World Bank and other international institutions, the UN Secretary-General, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, among others.

The Prime Minister also met representatives of the Gates Foundation, the International Peace Institute and leading Wall Street investors, while attending programmes with development partners and members of the local community.

Bangladesh organised two high-level side events on the Rohingya crisis and midwifery and maternal and newborn healthcare in partnership with international organisations and other countries.

Tarique Rahman also addressed high-level events focusing on climate action, a just transition and sea-level rise, Mahdi said.

The Prime Minister’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, attended eight high-level programmes during the visit and delivered remarks at four, including the UN General Assembly Platform of Women Leaders, the First Spouses’ Dialogue and a high-level side event on midwifery and maternal and newborn healthcare.

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

He said the visit was conducted with a relatively small delegation, with the government seeking to make the most of the limited time by highlighting Bangladesh’s interests in every engagement.

“The Prime Minister is representing Bangladesh on the global stage after a long time as the head of a government elected by the people,” he said.

According to the PMO spokesperson, Tarique Rahman’s address to the UN General Assembly went beyond Bangladesh’s domestic priorities and highlighted global peace, humanity, democracy, human rights and international cooperation.

“We believe the democratic government’s journey will continue and, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, Bangladesh will move forward as a more prosperous and self-reliant country on the global stage,” he said.