PM’s UNGA Debut
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today (Thursday), marking his first appearance before the world body since assuming office and opening a new chapter in Bangladesh’s engagement with the international community.
The prime minister will deliver his speech in Bangla at 5:00pm local time, corresponding to 3:00am Bangladesh time on Friday, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said at a briefing in New York on Wednesday.
The decision to address the General Assembly in Bangla is being presented by the government as a reflection of the aspirations, emotions and expectations of the people of Bangladesh.
“The Prime Minister will deliver his speech in Bangla, reflecting the emotions, aspirations and expectations of the people of Bangladesh,” Mahdi said.
The address comes at a significant moment for Tarique Rahman, who became prime minister on February 17 after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured an outright majority in the 13th parliamentary elections.
His appearance at the UN also carries a strong family dimension. According to Mahdi, the prime minister is following in the footsteps of his father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and his mother, late Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, both of whom addressed the UN General Assembly during their political careers.
For Tarique Rahman, however, the address represents more than a continuation of a family legacy.
It will be his first opportunity as prime minister to present Bangladesh’s priorities directly to a global audience at the United Nations, where issues ranging from peace and development to economic cooperation and humanitarian challenges remain central to international diplomacy.
His choice of Bangla is also likely to give the speech a distinct national character.
Bangladesh has long attached importance to the international recognition and use of its mother tongue, with Bangla becoming an official language of the UN General Assembly in the interpretation system alongside other major languages.
Tarique Rahman arrived in New York on September 21, beginning his first visit to the United States as prime minister.
His participation in the 81st UNGA is part of a broader diplomatic engagement following the formation of his government.
The New York visit comes after Malaysia and China, which were his first two state visits since becoming prime minister.
Those visits established the initial direction of his government’s external engagement, while the UNGA provides a much broader platform to outline Bangladesh’s priorities before world leaders and international organisations.
The prime minister’s address is expected to attract particular attention in Bangladesh because it comes after a change of government and at the beginning of a new political administration.
His speech therefore provides an opportunity to explain how his government intends to position Bangladesh internationally and what role it sees for the country in addressing global challenges.
The United Nations General Assembly remains one of the most prominent platforms for national leaders to articulate their countries’ foreign-policy positions.
For Bangladesh, the annual gathering has traditionally been an important opportunity to highlight national development priorities, seek international support on issues of concern and reinforce diplomatic relationships.
