CA arrives in New York to attend UNGA session

A commercial flight of Emirates airlines carrying the chief adviser and his entourage members landed at the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, at 3:00pm (NY time) today.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury and Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Tareq Md Ariful Islam received Prof Yunus at the airport.

Six political leaders including BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP Acting Chairman's Foreign Adviser Humayun Kabir, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, National Citizen Party (NCP) Member-Secretary Akhter Hossen and NCP’s first Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara are accompanying the chief adviser as part of the official delegation from Dhaka.

Jamaat leader Mohammad Nakibur Rahman joined the delegation here from the United States.

Earlier, the Emirates airlines flight carrying the chief Adviser and his entourages departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 1.40 am (BD time) on September 22.

According to the tour schedule, Professor Yunus will address the UN General Assembly on September 26.

In his speech, he is expected to highlight the interim government's reform initiatives, the aspirations of the July 2024 mass uprising, and its firm commitment to holding free, fair, and inclusive elections in February, 2026.

Officials said this year's UNGA is especially significant for Bangladesh as on September 30, the UN will host for the first time a High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.

The decision came after a proposal made by Professor Yunus last year, which received unanimous support from the member states.

Ahead of the conference, Bangladesh organized the first-ever "Stakeholders' Dialogue" in Cox's Bazar last month with international partners and Rohingya representatives.

The chief adviser will also take part in the High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth on September 25.

Bangladesh will also join discussions on Women, Peace and Security, underscoring its contribution as one of the top peacekeeping nations.

Prof Yunus is further expected to speak about pressing global issues including peacekeeping, climate change and climate justice, the Sustainable Development Goals, illicit financial flows, safe migration and migrant rights, sustainable technology transfer in the age of artificial intelligence, and to call for ceasefire and permanent peace in Palestine.

During the visit, the chief adviser will attend the UN Secretary-General's welcome reception, a reception hosted by US President Donald Trump, and hold multiple bilateral meetings with global leaders, reports BSS. 

Prof Yunus is scheduled to return home on October 2.

The General Debate of the UNGA will take place from September 23-27 and on September 29, with world leaders setting out their positions on global challenges under the theme "Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights."