Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves for the US on Sunday to lead Bangladesh to the 69th UN General Assembly (UNGA) with a 178-member delegation, the biggest entourage since her taking office in 2009.
Last year she led a 134-member delegation to the 68th UNGA.
“The number of entourage members may rise further as the authorities have issued a government order [GO] later and others are possibly awaiting visa because their applications were submitted a few days ago,” said a highly placed government source.
Besides, an advance team of Special Security Force (SSF) and civil officials had already been to New York, added the source.
During her weeklong visit, Hasina is scheduled to take part in a variety of UN meetings and side events, significantly a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 27.
Moreover, she is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines with the heads of state/government of different countries including Nepal, Chile, Qatar and Belarus.
However, no appointment has yet been fixed with any US dignitaries for a bilateral meeting.
Asked if there would be any meeting between the Bangladesh premier and US President Barack Obama, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said it would have to be checked out.
“Let’s see. Now it’ll have to be checked [out]. You’ll have to wait. It’s difficult to say now. It’s a continuous process,” he said in reply to a question at a press conference at the foreign ministry yesterday.
The entourage includes the ministers for finance, foreign affairs, health, expatriate welfare and overseas employment, environment, and food and the state minister for foreign affairs.
Moreover, several MPs, officials from different ministries, eminent citizens, journalists and leading businesspersons are set to go with the prime minister.
Taking such a big entourage on a specialised trip at the expense of taxpayers’ money raises questions as many of the delegates do not match with a UN event.
Majority of her delegates are likely to do nothing but shopping and sightseeing during a one-week stay in luxurious hotels in the US.
Addressing the press briefing, Foreign Minister Ali described the upcoming UNGA as an opportunity for the government to uphold its ‘multifaceted successes’ at the global forum.
“I think an opportunity will be created to let the world know Bangladesh’s multifaceted successes achieved in national and international arena through high-level participation in the UNGA this time,” he said.
Hasina in her speech at the UNGA on September 27 would focus on international peace and security, democracy and good governance, Bangladesh’s leading role in women empowerment, rights of migrant workers, government’s steps in poverty alleviation and progress in millennium development goals, he added.
The premier would also highlight her government’s activities to combat adverse impacts of climate change, protect interests of LDCs, progress in achieving MDGs and Bangladesh’s position in post-2015 sustainable development goals.
She would also highlight Bangladesh’s position on the theme of the general debate of the 69th UNGA — “Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda”.
The UNGA started its 69th session at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday and the high-level meetings would begin on September 22.
Hasina would co-chair the US-sponsored Peacekeeping Summit on September 26 along with US Vice-president Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Besides, she would attend Climate Summit 2014 hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 23 and ‘Global Education First Initiative (GEFI)’ on September 24.
On September 27, the premier would attend the Global Citizen Festival-2014 at New York Central Park to be organised by Global Poverty Project. She would speak briefly inviting the international community to get involved in Bangladesh’s efforts to build a hunger, illiteracy and poverty free country.
She would also address a meeting jointly organised by the US chambers and US business council.
The prime minister would stay in New York from September 22 to 28 and is expected to return on September 29.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, Secretary (Bilateral, Training & Consular) Mustafa Kamal, Director General (UN Wing) Saida Muna Tasneem and Director General (EP) Noor-E Helal Saifur Rahman were present at the briefing.
Source: The Daily Star
