PM Tarique Rahman addresses UNGA for first time

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made history by becoming the third member of his family to address the United Nations General Assembly, as he delivered his maiden speech at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

He began his address at 6:18pm (New York time) at the General Assembly Hall.

The prime minister delivered the address in Bangla, presenting Bangladesh's outlook and priorities before the international community, with a focus on climate change, global peace and security, sustainable development, economic cooperation, humanitarian issues and the Rohingya crisis.

Tarique Rahman's 21-minute UNGA address added a new chapter to his family's more than four-decade association with the United Nations General Assembly.

His father, martyred president Ziaur Rahman, was the first member of the family to address the UN General Assembly. He delivered his speech on 26 August 1980, during the 11th special session of the General Assembly.

Thirteen years later, Tarique Rahman's mother, former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, addressed the General Assembly during its 48th session on 1 October 1993. According to UN records, she addressed the General Assembly on five occasions between 1993 and 2005.

Khaleda Zia also addressed the commemorative meeting marking the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995, the 27th special session on children in 2002 and two separate meetings during the 60th session in 2005.