NEW YORK, Sept 27 : Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held meetings with the heads of state and government of seven countries, including Türkiye, Iran and Pakistan, during his four working days in New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The meetings focused on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and investment and exchanging views on regional and international issues, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said.
The leaders were Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Tarique also held separate meetings with Maldives Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.
Their discussions covered bilateral relations, trade and investment, manpower, economic cooperation and a range of regional and international issues.
Talks with UN, World Bank officials
The prime minister also met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, International Peace Institute President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman.
Bangladesh’s economic prospects, investment opportunities and the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar featured prominently in the discussions, alongside ways to expand international cooperation in these areas.
During his stay, Tarique attended four high-level events on the Rohingya crisis, the threat posed by rising sea levels to coastal countries, climate action and just transition, and the integration of midwifery into primary healthcare to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
Focus on investment
As part of his economic diplomacy, the prime minister attended a breakfast meeting with representatives of Wall Street firms hosted by JPMorgan Chase.
The discussions focused on Bangladesh’s economy, investment prospects and opportunities in the trade and financial sectors. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir attended the meeting.
Tarique and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman also attended a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump for heads of state and government participating in the UN General Assembly, as well as a breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The prime minister arrived in New York on September 21 with his wife and a 35-member delegation to attend the 81st UN General Assembly.
On September 24, he delivered his maiden address as prime minister at the General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly, where he outlined Bangladesh’s positions on global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, economic cooperation, humanitarian issues and the Rohingya crisis.
