New york: Bangladeshi expatriates are brimming with enthusiasm ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's arrival here to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly as Bangladeshi diasporas have taken extensive preparations to give him a warm welcome.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the excitement is particularly visible in Jackson Heights, the hub of the Bangladeshi community, where streets and prominent locations have been adorned with banners, posters, and festoons ahead of the Prime Minister's arrival. Individuals and community groups are also arranging programmes to mark the occasion. Much of the organised activity has been spearheaded by leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations, who have held a series of preparatory meetings and coordinated efforts across Bangladeshi-populated areas of New York to chalk out the welcome programme.
The preparations have also focused on maintaining discipline during planned programmes at the airport and in front of the UN headquarters. Reports from the community indicate that 34 preparatory meetings have so far been held involving the USA BNP, its affiliated organizations, and former party leaders. At a meeting in Jackson Heights last Thursday, BNP leaders and activists discussed arrangements for the Prime Minister's arrival in New York, with BNP Central International Affairs Secretary Anwar Hossain Khokon presiding over the session.
Various organizations, including the USA and New York State BNP, Jubo Dal, and others, have displayed banners welcoming the Prime Minister. Individual expatriate Bangladeshis have also put up posters and banners, some featuring images of Tarique Rahman and other prominent figures from Bangladesh's political history.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Monday and address the 81st session of the UNGA on September 24. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has indicated that the Prime Minister's address will focus on Bangladesh's democratic journey, global peace and security, climate change, and other significant issues. The protracted Rohingya crisis will receive particular attention during the visit, with a Bangladesh-hosted side event on the issue scheduled for September 23.
Climate change will be a prominent topic in his UN engagements, with participation in a high-level meeting titled 'Climate Action and the Just Transition' and another session addressing sea-level rise. The Prime Minister will also engage in discussions on global inequality and maternal and newborn health.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, Tarique Rahman will hold bilateral meetings with leaders from various countries and international organizations, focusing on political and economic relations, trade, and development cooperation. Meetings with business leaders are also planned as part of the government's economic diplomacy efforts.
The visit carries additional significance as Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman serves as President of the UN General Assembly during the 81st session. Tarique Rahman is set to become the third member of his family to address the UN General Assembly, following his father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and his mother, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.