Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left New York for home on Sunday wrapping up her eight-day official visit to USA for attending the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
A flight of Emirates Airlines carrying the Prime Minister took off from the John F Kennedy International Airport at 11.30am (Local time).
Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Akramul Qader and Bangladesh permanent representative to the UN AK Abdul Momen saw her off at the airport.
The Prime Minister is expected to reach home on Monday evening via Dubai.
During her stay in New York, Sheikh Hasina delivered her speech in the UNGA seeking all-out support from the international community for the ongoing trial of the war criminals who are responsible for genocide, rape, arson and crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.
The Prime Minister also had a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, and UN secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The exclusive meeting with her Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh was aimed at solving the unsettled issues between Bangladesh and India and maintaining the existing excellent relationships between the two next door neighbours.
The much-hyped land boundary agreement and Teesta deal came up at the meeting for discussion during the meeting with Manmohan.
In her meeting with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon Hasina officially requested the United Nations to send its delegation to observe the upcoming general election which is to be held in between October 25 to January 24 next. She also called upon Ban Ki-moon to appoint the Bangladeshi peacekeepers to the higher posts of the UN.
During her stay in New York, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma called on Sheikh Hasina at her hotel on September 23. In the evening, she attended a reception hosted by US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Waldrof Astoria Hotel.
Later, Hasina attended a programme of International Organization for South-South Cooperation (IOSSC) at its office and received the South-South award for Bangladesh’s stellar performance for poverty reduction.
The following day on September 24, the Prime Minister attended a welcome reception accorded by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the opening session of the 68th UNGA at UN headquarters. Later, she attended a high-level side event on ‘Tackling the Unfinished Business: Accelerating MDG Progress and joined UN Secretary General’s Luncheon Reception.
Hasina also met Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at UN Plaza at First Avenue and attended as one of the keynote speakers of ‘Leaders Dialogue: HLPF-From Vision to Action” at Trusteeship Council Chamber at UN headquarters. Later, Foreign Minister of China called on the Prime Minister also at the UN headquarters.
On September 25, the Prime Minister delivered her speech at the Special event of the President of the General Assembly to follow up on efforts made towards achieving the MDGs. Later, she attended the “Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) Anniversary Even at ECOSOC Chamber at the UN headquarters.
On September 26, the Prime Minister signed “Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War of Convention on Certain Chemical Weapons (CCW) at UNHQ and delivered her speech at the High Level Plenary Session on Nuclear Disarmament.
She also attended a community programme at the Grand Ball Room of the Hilton New York on September 28.
The Prime Minister on September 22 left Dhaka for New York to attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with her 134 entourage member.
Source: UNBConnect
