New York, Sep 23 (V7N)- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a series of bilateral and courtesy meetings with international leaders and senior UN officials during his first full day of engagements at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Among the key meetings, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop paid a courtesy call on Tarique Rahman. The discussion focused on the prolonged Rohingya crisis and the need for stronger international cooperation to create conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of the refugees.
The prime minister also met UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih at the Hyatt Grand Central Hotel. Tarique stressed that there is no alternative to the safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas to their homeland for a lasting solution to the crisis. Salih praised Bangladesh’s humanitarian role and stressed the importance of continued international cooperation.
Tarique Rahman later held a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Turkish House in New York. The two leaders discussed ways to strengthen the longstanding friendly relations between Bangladesh and Türkiye and explored opportunities to expand cooperation in trade, the economy and investment.
They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and emphasised the importance of continued coordination between the two countries. Both leaders expressed their commitment to exploring new areas of cooperation based on shared priorities.
Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé also met Tarique Rahman on the sidelines of the UNGA at the UN Headquarters. Their discussions covered Bangladesh-Haiti bilateral relations, mutual interests and regional and international cooperation.
The two prime ministers also discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation for the mutual benefit of their peoples and expand bilateral ties across different sectors. Bangladesh’s experience in UN peacekeeping and the situation in Haiti were also discussed, according to the prime minister’s adviser Mahdi Amin.
The meetings were part of Tarique Rahman’s busy first full day at the UNGA, which also included engagements with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Maldives Vice-President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef and World Bank Group President Ajay Banga.
The prime minister is scheduled to deliver his maiden address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday (September 24). His visit is also focused on global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian issues, economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis.
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