PM reaches New York to join 73rd UNGA

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived here this afternoon local time (BD time on Monday morning) from London on a weeklong official visit to the United States to attend the 73rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

A British Airways flight carrying the premier and her entourage members
landed at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey at 2:10 pm local
time.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin and Bangladesh
Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Masud Bin Momen welcomed
the premier at the airport.

After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade escorted the
prime minister to Hotel Grand Hyatt New York, where she will be staying
during her visit to the USA.

Earlier, the prime minister departed from Heathrow Airport in London for
New York at 10:50 am local time. She made nearly two-day stopover in the
British capital en route to New York.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Nazmul Qaunine saw the premier off
at the airport.

The prime minister will address the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly
at the UN Headquarters in New York in the evening (local time) on September
27 and have a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the same
day.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, she will also hold bilateral meetings with a
number of world leaders including Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

The Bangladesh premier will attend a Welcome Reception to be hosted by US
President Donald J. Trump, while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is
expected to call on Sheikh Hasina.

This year’s theme of the general debate is ‘Making the United Nations
relevant to all people: Global leadership and shared responsibilities for
peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies’.

The prime minister will place some specific proposals in continuation of
her previous five-point proposal for resolving the Rohingya crisis, Foreign
Minister AH Mahmood Ali told a press conference at the Foreign Ministry on
Thursday.

Apart from the Rohingya issue, the prime minister will also discuss world
peace, safe migration, the rights of Palestine people, women empowerment and
climate change, the foreign minister said.

“She will also present Bangladesh’s different socioeconomic advancements,
including establishment of digital Bangladesh and the country’s ongoing
democratic process to world leaders,” he said.

During the UNGA, Ali said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive two
awards.

He said Inter Press Service (IPS), a global news agency, will give its
prestigious ‘International Achievement Award’ to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
for her dynamic and farsighted leadership in addressing Rohingya crisis while
Global Hope Coalition will confer on her ‘2018 Special Recognition for
Outstanding Leadership Award’.

The prime minister will return home in the morning on October 1 via London,
the press secretary said.