The Prime Minister is prioritizing public interest and national dignity on the world stage: Mahdi Amin

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, currently visiting New York to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, participated in 10 important events on his very first day. His adviser, Mahdi Amin, stated that in all these events, the Prime Minister prioritized public interest and enhancing the nation's dignity on the world stage.

He shared this information at a press conference held at Bangladesh's Permanent Mission to the UN yesterday (Tuesday, September 22) at 8 PM local time.

Reviewing the first day's itinerary, Mahdi Amin said, "As an elected head of government, the Prime Minister ensured how Bangladesh's interests could be given priority, how the interests of the public could be placed above all, and how the dignity of Bangladesh could be elevated further on the global platform."

He added, "The Prime Minister’s schedule for the first day was divided into several segments, including personal, multilateral, regional, and bilateral meetings, as well as discussions on the Rohingya crisis and with development partners. At the start of the day, the Prime Minister and his spouse, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, attended a breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in honor of world leaders and their spouses. Following that, the Prime Minister joined the opening session of the 81st General Assembly."

Mahdi Amin noted, "On the first day, the Prime Minister held separate meetings with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering Tobgay, and the Vice President of the Maldives, Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef. During these meetings, discussions focused on further strengthening existing relations with both countries and expanding cooperation in various fields, including people-to-people contact, tourism, education, and healthcare."

He further stated, "The Prime Minister also met with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting covered bilateral relations and cooperation across various multilateral domains. The Turkish President also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister to visit Turkey."

The Prime Minister’s adviser also informed that the Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, held a sideline meeting with the Prime Minister. The discussion centered on the law and order situation in Haiti and the potential utilization of Bangladesh's experience in UN peacekeeping operations there.

Highlighting that the Rohingya crisis received special emphasis in the first day's discussions, Mahdi Amin mentioned that the Prime Minister held meetings with Julie Bishop, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, and Barham Salih, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The discussions underscored the need for international cooperation to build a favorable environment for the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh."

He noted that on Wednesday, the Prime Minister will participate in a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis at the UN, co-organized by Bangladesh and The Gambia.

The adviser also mentioned that the Prime Minister met with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. The meeting involved discussions on Bangladesh's development priorities, economic progress, and further strengthening World Bank cooperation in development activities.

He added that various government policies and priorities, including education, health, employment, trade, regulatory reforms, and economic development, were discussed with the World Bank President.

Prime Minister's Adviser Mahdi Amin informed that due to scheduling constraints, direct meetings between the Prime Minister and the President of the European Council, as well as Meta, could not take place. However, a high-level delegation from Bangladesh met with Meta to discuss various relevant issues, including the massive number of Meta users in Bangladesh.

He mentioned that the Prime Minister's first-day itinerary also included attending a reception hosted by US President Donald Trump in honor of world leaders and their spouses. This reception was listed in the itinerary of the Prime Minister's New York visit.

The Prime Minister will deliver his maiden address on behalf of Bangladesh at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly on September 24. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, Shama Obayed Islam, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Saleh Shibly, Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon, and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan were present at the press conference.