No Tarique-Trump bilateral meeting planned: State Minister

There is no possibility of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and US President Donald Trump during the Bangladeshi leader’s ongoing visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir said.

Responding to reporters’ questions, Kabir said attending the UN General Assembly is the main purpose of Tarique’s US visit, with his engagements focused on advancing Bangladesh’s interests through bilateral and other meetings on the sidelines.

Tarique left Bangladesh on September 21 with his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and is scheduled to attend more than a dozen bilateral, multilateral and courtesy meetings during the trip.

He arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York at 6:20pm (local time) on Monday, where Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Zubaida Khan and Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam received him.

After completing airport formalities, the prime minister travelled by motorcade to the Hyatt Grand Central New York, arriving at around 8pm. Bangladeshi expatriates gathered outside the airport and hotel and chanted slogans welcoming him.

Tarique is scheduled to address the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 24 at around 3:30am (Bangladesh time.)