Published : 22 Sep 2026, 09:19 PM
Updated : 22 Sep 2026, 09:19 PM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has joined the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, taking his place in the opening day of the high-level general debate in New York.
His Assistant Press Secretary KM Nazmul Haque said Tarique joined the debate at 9am on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has a front-row seat in the General Assembly hall, where delegations are seated according to the English alphabetical order.
After entering the hall, Tarique paid his respects to the president of the session before taking his seat.
The prime minister arrived in New York from Dhaka on Monday evening to lead a 35-member delegation.
The General Assembly’s 81st session opened on Sept 8 and will continue until Sept 7 next year.
The general debate began Tuesday, with US President Donald Trump scheduled to speak on its opening day.
Tarique is scheduled to address the General Assembly on the afternoon of Sept 24 local time. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is presiding over the session.
Breakfast with Guterres
Tarique’s UN schedule began earlier Tuesday with a breakfast hosted by Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of state and government.
The breakfast was held at 7:30am local time at UN headquarters, according to the prime minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.
Later in the day, Tarique was due to attend a reception hosted by Trump for visiting heads of state and government and their spouses, Shiplu said.
Flight Delay Disrupts BNP, AL Events
The prime minister’s delayed arrival in New York disrupted programmes planned by both the BNP and Awami League around his US visit.
Permits for a BNP reception rally and an Awami League protest rally outside JFK Airport were valid until 5:30pm local time on Monday. But the Turkish Airlines flight carrying Tarique arrived after 6:30pm.
Leaders and activists from both parties had been waiting outside Terminal 8 since 3pm, witnesses said. As the permits expired, airport security personnel made both groups leave the area.
Tarique was welcomed at Terminal 1 by Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Zubaida Khan and Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the US Tareq Md Ariful Islam.
