PM Tarique to Present Bangladesh’s Vision, National Interests at UNGA: Mahdi
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will use his September 24 UNGA address to set out his vision for Bangladesh, how the country’s interests will be protected, and how his government plans to uphold people’s rights and pursue inclusive development, PMO spokesperson Mahdi Amin said.
In a Nutshell
- Tarique Rahman will deliver his first UNGA address on September 24.
- Mahdi Amin said the speech will cover Bangladesh’s future, national interests, people’s rights and inclusive development.
- State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Tarique will present the government’s democratic transition and plans for a “new Bangladesh”.
- Tarique will attend high level UN events on the Rohingya crisis, climate change, global inequality and maternal and newborn health.
- He is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with leaders from Kuwait, Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan and Haiti.
- His four working days in New York will also include bilateral and multilateral meetings.
Context
PM Tarique’s address comes during Bangladesh’s first UNGA session under the new government. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is presiding over the session after winning the UNGA presidency in June with 99 of 190 votes and taking office on September 8. His one year presidency gives Bangladesh an unusually prominent role in the assembly while PM Tarique introduces his government’s priorities. Bangladesh last held the UNGA presidency in 1986 and 1987.
Why It Matters
The government is presenting this as a tightly focused diplomatic visit, with a 35 member entourage and only four working days in New York. Tarique will meet heads of government and attend high level UN events on issues such as the Rohingya crisis and climate change, so the trip has a wider diplomatic agenda beyond his UNGA speech. At the same time, Mahdi stressed that the main purpose is the UNGA, while Humayun Kabir said there may not be much scope for a separate meeting with US President Donald Trump. That emphasis suggests Dhaka is keeping expectations around a Trump meeting limited while prioritising the multilateral programme.
What We Think
So far, the government has described the speech in broad terms. The speech will be PM Tarique’s first chance to explain what Bangladesh wants from its international partners, particularly on Rohingya repatriation, climate finance and economic cooperation. Those demands will show what the new government’s foreign policy will look like in practice. and give substance to the government’s promise of a “new Bangladesh”.