PM off to NY to attend 68th UNGA session
DHAKA, Sept 22, 2013 – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left here tonight for New York on an eight-day official visit to the United States to attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Prime Minister will address the 68th session of the UNGA on September 27. On the sidelines of the UNGA, she will attend a number of high-level events and bilateral talks.
Sheikh Hasina will hold meetings with her Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
An Emirates flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 9.40pm.
Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Home Minister Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, Environment and Forest Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and PM’s Advisor HT Imam were present at the airport to see the Prime Minister off.
Besides, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hussain Bhuiyan, the chiefs of the three services, the dean of the diplomatic corps and the US ambassador in Dhaka were also present.
Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to reach John F Kennedy (JKF) International Airport in New York at 8.15 am (local time) tomorrow. On the way, the Prime Minister will have a two-hour stopover in Dubai.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Bangladesh Ambassador to USA Akramul Qader, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Dr A K Abdul Momen will receive the Prime Minister at the JFK Airport.
From the airport, the Prime Minister in a motorcade will be taken to Hotel Grand Hyatt at Park Avenue where she will be staying during her visit to the USA.
On September 23, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite. In the evening, she will attend a reception to be hosted by US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Waldrof Astoria Hotel.
Later, she will attend a programme of International Organization for South- South Cooperation (IOSSC) at its office.
On September 24, Sheikh Hasina will attend a welcome reception given by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and opening session of the 68th UNGA in the UN Headquarters (UNHQ).
Later, the Prime Minister will attend a high-level side event on ‘Tackling the Unfinished Business: Accelerating MDG Progress’. She will also join the UN secretary general’s Luncheon Reception.
From the UNHQ, Sheikh Hasina will reach Permanent Mission of Qatar at UN Plaza on the First Avenue to call on Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will attend as one of the keynote speakers of ‘Leaders Dialogue: HLPF-From Vision to Action’ at Trusteeship Council Chamber in the UNHQ.
Later, foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China will call on Sheikh Hasina at the UNHQ.
On September 25, the Prime Minister will attend a round table of the special event of the President of the General Assembly to follow up efforts made towards achieving the MDGs.
Later, she will attend the “Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) Anniversary Even at ECOSOC Chamber at UNHQ. In the evening, Sheikh Hasina will have a dinner at Bangladesh House.
On September 26, the Prime Minister will sign ‘Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War of Convention on Certain Chemical Weapons (CCW)’ at UNHQ. She will also attend a high level Plenary Session on Nuclear Disarmament.
On September 27, the Prime Minister will deliver her statement at the 68th UNGA. Later, she will attend a press conference at Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York.
On September 28, Sheikh Hasina will hold a meeting with her Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh at New York Palace Hotel.
In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will have a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will attend a programme of Bangladesh community at Hotel Hilton.
On September 29 morning, Sheikh Hasina will leave New York for home and she is expected to reach Dhaka at 5.40 pm on September 30 via Dubai.
During her visit to the United States, PM’s Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Ambassador-At-large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary Shaikh Md Wahid-Uz-Zaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad will accompany the Prime Minister.
Senior Awami League leaders Tofail Ahmed and Amir Hossain Amu, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Party Presidium Member Anisul Islam Mahmud, JSD Executive President Moinuddin Khan Badal, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque, Ganotantri Party General Secretary Nurur Rahman Selim and Peshajibi Nari Samaj General Secretary Afroza Haque Rina will also accompany Sheikh Hasina.
A business delegation, led by FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, is also going to the United States with the Prime Minister.
eNewsDesk
