Antalya:Istanbul Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday afternoon, continuing his journey to Antalya, Turkey, for a three-day visit to attend the World Leaders' Summit of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), scheduled for November 11-12. The summit will include bilateral meetings with leaders from various countries.
According to United News of Bangladesh, a Turkish Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and other members of his entourage landed at Istanbul International Airport at 1240pm local time. PM's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu provided this information.
The flight is scheduled to leave Istanbul for Antalya at 245pm local time, landing at Antalya Airport at 405pm. Earlier, the flight departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 730am Bangladesh time. Officials, including Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and others, saw off the Prime Minister and his wife at the airport's VIP lounge.
COP31, the UN climate change conference, began in Antalya on Monday and will run through November 20. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to address a plenary session on November 12 and engage in several bilateral meetings with world leaders. A meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled this evening at Maxx Royal Hotel.
Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury indicated that the Prime Minister would discuss Bangladesh's stance on climate justice and related issues, emphasizing the need for climate finance and adaptation. The summit will also serve as a platform for Bangladesh to highlight its climate resilience achievements and propose a joint declaration with Turkey on jute promotion.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans two side events in the Blue Zone, focusing on gender-based climate vulnerability and the promotion of sustainable jute products. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return to Dhaka on November 13.