St John's:Dhaka State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has departed Dhaka for Antigua and Barbuda to lead Bangladesh's delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026). He will attend the summit with the status and protocol privileges of a full cabinet minister.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Kobir left Dhaka on Saturday morning, heading to St John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, where the four-day Commonwealth summit begins today. He is expected to arrive in St John's after traveling via Dubai and London.
During the summit, Kobir will represent Bangladesh at the high-level gathering as the acting foreign minister. He has been granted the status, authority, and protocol privileges of a full cabinet minister for the duration of the meeting. Kobir will participate in the opening and executive sessions of CHOGM, as well as several foreign minister-level meetings and bilateral discussions with ministers from other countries.
These engagements are anticipated to enhance diplomatic relations and address issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Commonwealth partners. A notification from the Cabinet Division, dated October 25 and signed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani, confirmed Kobir's full cabinet ministerial status specifically for leading the Bangladesh delegation to CHOGM 2026, under Clause 4(iii) of the Rules of Business, 1996.
The summit, which runs from November 1 to 4 in St John's, will bring together heads of government, ministers, and senior representatives from Commonwealth member states. This year's meeting, themed "Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth," will focus on strengthening partnerships, promoting sustainable investment, and tackling shared challenges, such as climate resilience, trade, innovation, and sustainable development.
The Commonwealth consists of 56 member countries spanning Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific.