35-member delegation accompanying PM Tarique Rahman to New York

A total of 35 people will accompany Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his New York visit to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam conveyed this information at a press conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday noon.

Among those accompanying the Prime Minister are Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman and Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat. Also in the delegation are General Secretary of Bangladesh's Revolutionary Workers Party Saiful Haque and Secretary General of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh Golam Mohiuddin.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will leave for New York on September 21 and will lead the Bangladesh delegation during the visit. After concluding his programmes in New York, he will leave for home on the night of September 25.

Asked about shortening the Prime Minister's New York visit programme, Asad Alam Siam said the Prime Minister will participate in a total of five high-level meetings, including on Bangladesh's democratic journey and establishing good governance, and resolving the Rohingya crisis. Additionally, Bangladesh has organised two of its own events on the sidelines of the conference.

Asked about the possibility of a meeting with US President Donald Trump, the Foreign Secretary said many things can be added or subtracted from the programme of a multilateral visit. He further said this is the first participation of the current government at the highest global forum of the United Nations, and through this, an opportunity will be created to present the new government's political commitments and the outline of a future Bangladesh before the world.

Asad Alam Siam said, "Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will represent Bangladesh at the UN General Assembly for the first time. Again, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister will preside over the same session. Therefore, this is a rare and historic moment for us on one hand, and a matter of special dignity and pride on the other."