Niaz Mahmud, form New York (USA)
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has arrived in New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, beginning a five-day visit featuring a busy schedule of diplomatic engagements, bilateral meetings and discussions on issues ranging from the Rohingya crisis and climate change to trade and investment.
The prime minister arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport on Monday evening after a stopover in Istanbul, Turkey. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United States Tarek Md Ariful Islam and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ireena Zubaida Khan received him at the airport.
Tarique Rahman was then taken to the Hyatt Grand Central New York, where he is staying during his visit.
The prime minister is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 24, placing Bangladesh’s priorities and concerns before the international community.
His programme also includes meetings with heads of government, senior UN officials, international organisations and representatives of major global companies.
Rohingya crisis in focus
The Rohingya issue is expected to feature prominently in the prime minister’s engagements in New York.
On September 23, he is scheduled to speak at a high-level event titled “The Rohingya Crisis: Sustainable Solutions, Justice and Accountability.”
The issue remains a major concern for Bangladesh, which continues to host a large number of forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar.
The prime minister is also scheduled to participate in discussions on climate action and a just transition, reflecting Bangladesh’s concerns over climate vulnerability and sustainable development.
Other side events on his agenda include discussions on sea-level rise and strengthening healthcare through the integration of midwifery to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
Wide-ranging bilateral meetings
Tarique Rahman’s UNGA visit includes a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders and senior international officials.
Among those scheduled to meet the prime minister are Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and European Council President Antonio Costa.
He is also scheduled to meet UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
A meeting with Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan is also on the programme.
On September 23, the prime minister is scheduled to hold talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the UN headquarters.
Boeing Global President Dr Brendan Nelson is also expected to meet him. An agreement with Boeing may be signed during the visit, according to the reported programme.
On September 24, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He is also expected to meet the Swedish foreign minister and hold talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
A bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is also scheduled.
Address to UN General Assembly
The centrepiece of the visit will be Tarique Rahman’s address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 24.
The speech is scheduled for around 5:30pm New York time.
The address is expected to provide Bangladesh with an opportunity to highlight its positions on global challenges, regional stability, climate change, sustainable development and the Rohingya crisis.
Following the speech, the prime minister is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Wall Street engagement
Economic diplomacy is also an important component of the visit.
On September 25, the final day of his New York programme, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting with Wall Street representatives hosted by JPMorgan.
The engagement is expected to provide an opportunity to discuss Bangladesh’s investment climate, economic prospects and potential areas of cooperation with international business and financial institutions.
He is also scheduled to meet Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, president of the International Peace Institute.
Political activities among expatriates
Meanwhile, political activity among Bangladeshi expatriates has increased in New York during the prime minister’s visit.
The Kalbela report said supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and activists associated with the Awami League became involved in a confrontation over political posters and banners in Jackson Heights, an area with a large Bangladeshi-American population.
Police were deployed in the area to prevent the situation from escalating.
BNP activists subsequently organised a protest march following an incident in which a banner reportedly put up by the party was removed.
Habibur Rahman Selim Reza, president of BNP’s New York City South unit, said the march was organised in response to the incident and alleged that Awami League activists were responsible for removing the banner. This was his account of the incident.
US Awami League leaders, meanwhile, have expressed opposition to Tarique Rahman’s visit and indicated that they plan to hold demonstrations in Manhattan on September 24, coinciding with his scheduled UNGA address.
The competing programmes have led to heightened police presence in some areas frequented by the Bangladeshi-American community.
Tarique Rahman is scheduled to leave New York late on September 25 for Dhaka via Dubai and is expected to reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on September 27.
The New York visit thus combines Bangladesh’s participation in the UN’s premier annual diplomatic gathering with a broad programme of bilateral diplomacy, international engagement, economic discussions and efforts to draw greater global attention to the Rohingya crisis.
