Rahman to make first Bangla UNGA speech with Rohingya, climate in focus
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to deliver his first address at the UN General Assembly in Bangla on September 24, with the Rohingya crisis, climate change and his government's democratic agenda expected to be central to his speech, according to a media report.
Rahman will visit New York from September 21 to 25 for his first UN General Assembly participation as prime minister. It will also be the first UNGA appearance of the incumbent Bangladesh Nationalist Party government, which came to power in February, state-owned BSS news agency reported on Sunday.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, Rahman is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the prime ministers of Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan and Haiti, according to BSS. The talks are expected to cover political and economic relations, trade and investment, development cooperation, the Rohingya crisis and other issues of mutual interest.
At the UNGA, Rahman will also present Bangladesh's position on global peace and security, sustainable development, economic cooperation and reform of the multilateral system, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said at a press conference on Sunday.
Rahman will seek stronger international support for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar at a Bangladesh-hosted side event on September 23, Siam said, as Dhaka seeks to keep the long-running crisis on the global agenda. The crisis began in 2017 with the mass displacement of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine State amid military crackdowns and violence.
Bangladesh is under growing pressure on its resources and infrastructure as it hosts more than a million Rohingya refugees, while efforts to ensure their safe and sustainable return to Myanmar remain stalled.
Climate change will also be a major part of Rahman's visit. He is scheduled to attend a high-level meeting on climate action on September 23 and address a session on sea-level rise the following day, BSS reported. At these meetings, Rahman is expected to raise the concerns of climate-vulnerable countries, especially on climate finance, adaptation, technology transfer, loss and damage, and climate justice.
According to a World Bank report, South Asia is among the world's most climate-vulnerable regions, with nearly 90 per cent of its population projected to face extreme heat and nearly a quarter severe flooding by 2030. The report said Bangladesh is particularly exposed, with rising water and soil salinity in coastal areas affecting millions of people.
BSS quoted Siam as saying that Bangladesh's UN engagements would also focus on empowering youth and women, education and health, equitable access to modern technology and creating a more effective and inclusive multilateral system. On September 23, Rahman will also attend a high-level meeting on tackling the global inequality crisis and a Bangladesh-hosted side event on maternal and newborn health and midwifery.
Rahman is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the president of the European Council, the president of the World Bank Group, the UN special envoy on Myanmar and the UN high commissioners for refugees and human rights. As part of the government's economic diplomacy, he will hold meetings with senior representatives of Meta, Wall Street and other business organisations. According to BSS, these discussions will focus on Bangladesh's investment environment and opportunities in manufacturing, infrastructure and technology, as well as human resource development, skills and employment for young people.
Overall, Rahman's UN visit is expected to combine Bangladesh's push for support on the Rohingya issue, its climate priorities, broader multilateral engagement and efforts to project investment opportunities and development goals on the global stage.
