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Tarique Rahman to deliver speech in Bangla as third Zia family member

Published : Sunday, 20 September, 2026 at 1:53 PM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to depart for New York on Monday (September 21) to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he will address the assembly in Bangla on September 24.

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam confirmed the schedule during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday (September 20), marking the current government's first participation at the highest global UN forum.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will become the third member of the Zia family to address the UNGA, following his father, martyred President Ziaur Rahman on August 26, 1980, and his mother, former Prime Minister late Begum Khaleda Zia, who addressed the assembly five times between 1993 and 2005. The upcoming address opens a new chapter in a family relationship with the UNGA spanning over four decades.

The 81st session holds added significance for Bangladesh as Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is currently serving as the President of the UN General Assembly. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obayed Islam noted that climate change will feature prominently in the Prime Minister's speech, highlighting Bangladesh's priorities before the international community.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir added that the speech will outline Bangladesh's future vision, focusing on democratic transition, economic priorities, global peace, climate financing, and sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis.

According to the official itinerary, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will arrive in New York ahead of the general debate, which runs from September 22 to 26 and resumes on September 28. His formal engagements begin on September 22, attending the UN Secretary-General’s welcome breakfast, the assembly's opening session, and a reception hosted by the US President.

On September 23, the Prime Minister will meet with representatives of international charitable and humanitarian organizations, address a meeting hosted by Brazil, South Africa, Norway, and Spain on tackling global inequality, and participate in a high-level session on "Climate Action and the Just Transition" convened by the UN Secretary-General. On the same day, Bangladesh will host a side event on the Rohingya crisis, where he will seek effective international cooperation for the safe and rapid repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar.

On September 24, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will deliver opening remarks at a high-level meeting on existential threats posed by sea-level rise, focusing on climate adaptation, loss and damage, technology transfer, and climate justice. In the afternoon, he will deliver his main address at the UNGA general debate, covering democratic transition, the rule of law, accountability, global peace, economic cooperation, youth and women empowerment, health, education, and multilateral reforms. Additionally, he will speak at a Bangladesh-organized event on maternal and newborn health and midwifery.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with various world leaders, including the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the Prime Ministers of Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan, and Haiti. He will also meet with the UN Secretary-General, the President of the European Council, the President of the World Bank Group, the UN Special Envoy on Myanmar, and top UN officials for human rights and refugees.

As part of Bangladesh's economic diplomacy initiatives, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will meet senior executives from major Wall Street firms and Meta to highlight investment opportunities in technology, infrastructure, manufacturing, and skill development. The Prime Minister, accompanied by a relatively small delegation, is scheduled to depart New York for Dhaka on the night of September 25.

-SA