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PM WRAPS UP UNGA VISIT
Focuses on diplomacy, investment, Rohingya crisis in UNGA address, high-level talks
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 27 Sep 2026, 12:00 AM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday wrapped up his five-day US visit to attend the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, using the tour to highlight Bangladesh’s interests and strengthen diplomatic, economic and international partnerships through a series of high-level engagements with world leaders.
In his maiden address to the UNGA on 24 September, the prime minister outlined Bangladesh’s priorities on global peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian issues, economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis.
Alongside UNGA programmes, Tarique Rahman held bilateral meetings with leaders of seven countries and separate talks with senior officials from the UN, World Bank and other international organisations.
On 22 September, Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman joined a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for world leaders and their spouses before attending the opening of the 81st UNGA General Debate. In the evening, they attended a reception hosted by the US President for leaders attending the general assembly.
On 23 September, he held a breakfast meeting with representatives of the Gates Foundation, Visa Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, International Rescue Committee and Rotary International, highlighting Bangladesh’s perspectives on humanitarian challenges, international cooperation, climate change, sustainable development and economic partnership.
The meetings were held with the heads of state and government of seven countries — Turkiye, Iran, Pakistan, Croatia, Haiti, Bhutan and Thailand — as well as separate talks with senior leaders from the Maldives, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Sweden.
Rahman discussed Bangladesh’s prospects for manpower export, energy security and regional cooperation with foreign leaders and urged Wall Street investors to invest in the country to support its economic growth and development.
He also highlighted Bangladesh’s human rights situation, democratic progress, economic opportunities and efforts to strengthen international partnerships and bilateral relations.
The prime minister met Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman and discussed public health, child healthcare, vaccination, affordable vaccines, preventive healthcare and health-system modernisation.
He also addressed the high-level meeting on “Climate Action and the Just Transition”, calling for collective global action to build a safer and more sustainable future for the next generation, including deeper emission cuts and predictable climate finance for climate-vulnerable countries.
During meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, World Bank President Ajay Banga, UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Julie Bishop, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, Rahman discussed Bangladesh’s economy, development prospects, human rights, the Rohingya crisis and ways to expand international cooperation.
At a breakfast meeting hosted by JPMorgan Chase with Wall Street business leaders and investors on the last day of his tour, Rahman invited US investors to invest in Bangladesh, highlighting its strategic location, large market and investment opportunities.
He called for greater investment in energy, infrastructure, logistics, technology, digital services, climate finance, manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare, and stressed the need for an investor-friendly business environment.
Promoting Bangladesh’s economic prosperity was another key focus of the visit, with the prime minister discussing expanded economic cooperation with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including investment and energy-related cooperation.
The meetings also covered ways to protect the interests of Bangladeshi workers abroad and deepen economic ties with Middle Eastern countries to boost manpower exports.
The Rohingya crisis remained another key priority. Rahman participated in high-level discussions and held meetings with senior UN officials on the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar and continued international support for Bangladesh.
He also attended high-level events on the existential threat posed by sea-level rise to coastal countries, climate action and a transition, as well as integrating midwifery into primary healthcare to prevent maternal and newborn deaths in Bangladesh.
Human rights, democracy, the rule of law and international peace also featured in Rahman’s engagements during the five-day visit.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and the US on 25 September signed a strategic civilian nuclear cooperation agreement aimed at promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
After completing the engagements, an Emirates flight carrying Rahman, his wife and members of his entourage left John F Kennedy International Airport at 11:30pm on Friday (New York time) for Dhaka via Dubai.
The flight is scheduled to arrive in Dubai at 8pm on Saturday, depart for Dhaka at 2am today and reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40am.
Earlier, Rahman reached New York on 21 September, leading a 35-member delegation that included Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Humaiyun Kobir.