Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman left the capital Dhaka on the night of August 30 for New York, United States, to assume the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
A Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Khalilur Rahman departed Dhaka at around 8:20 p.m. on an official trip related to his responsibilities as UNGA president, with a scheduled stopover in Dubai.
He is scheduled to remain in New York from August 31 to October 21, during which he will carry out his responsibilities as President of the United Nations General Assembly.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly will officially open on September 8. World leaders are expected to travel to the United Nations Headquarters in New York during September to participate in the annual high-level General Debate.
Khalilur Rahman’s tenure as UNGA president comes at a critical time, as geopolitical divisions among countries are deepening and the process of selecting the next UN Secretary-General is also underway.
During his presidency, Khalilur Rahman has identified rebuilding trust among countries, facilitating consensus and creating space for constructive dialogue and negotiations as key priorities.
Amid widening international divisions, he has said he will seek to act as a bridge among member states and engage with all relevant parties to identify areas of common ground and build consensus.
He has also pledged to prioritize geographical and gender balance within the Office of the President of the General Assembly, based on the principles of the UN Charter, while paying particular attention to the needs of smaller member states.
Bangladesh is also expected to use the UNGA presidency to draw greater international attention to issues of importance to the country and the region. It is also likely to raise the issue of Muslims who have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar, seeking to bring greater international attention to the matter.
Source: Bangladesh media
