Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh Dr Muhammad Yunus will hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joseph R Biden on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the first time.
US presidents have always met and spoke to the heads of state and government of Bangladesh at the reception hosted by the US President during the UN General Assembly session.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at 11am (New York time), the first meeting of the Bangladesh interim government chief with the US President, confirmed councilor of Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN Fahmid Farhan confirmed.
Diplomatic sources said the implementation of reforms taken by the interim government will be top priority of discussion. The US will provide all kinds of support to Bangladesh in the future, including reforms in various sectors after the political changeover, sources said.
Once the US President gives a speech at the UNGA session, he will host a reception in the afternoon of that day in honour of the heads of state and government joining the session.
Holding a bilateral meeting between the US President and the top leader of any country during the UNGA session is very rare, the sources said.
Diplomats said the meeting of Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and US President Biden indicates that the US administration wants to enhance diplomatic and economic relations with the Prof Yunus-led Bangladesh's interim government.
The US president’s talk with the Interim government chief of Bangladesh indicates that the both parties want to boost bilateral ties, they said.
During the high-level meeting, the two leaders will discuss in detail how diplomatic and economic relations could be enhanced in writing a new chapter in bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told the media that Prof Muhammad Yunus would play a positive role in leading the Bangladesh delegation and speaking for Bangladesh in the UN session. So, he said, this session is very significant for Bangladesh.
A US high-level delegation visited Dhaka on September 15 after the interim government took charge of the government on August 8.
Within two weeks of the visit of the US delegation, Touhid said, US President Joe Biden announced a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Yunus.
UN welcomes Yunus
The United Nations has conveyed best wishes to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus as he attends the UNGA when Bangladesh is celebrating its 50 years relationship with the United Nations.
"My best wishes to Chief Advisor, Dr Yunus as he attends the General Assembly. This year, Bangladesh celebrates its 50-year relationship with the UN," said UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Gwyn Lewis in a brief message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"An historic moment when we again were reminded of the importance of listening to the voices of young people," she added.
On 17 September 1974, Bangladesh became a full member of the United Nations.
Yunus is on his first visit to the United States as head of the Bangladesh government to attend the 79th UNGA.
The theme for the general debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly is "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations".
Meanwhile, the chief advisor arrived at the JFK International Airport at 10:10pm on Monday (New York time) to attend the UNGA 79th session.
Earlier, the flight departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5.05 am in Dhaka (Bangladesh time) on the day.
On September 24, Prof Yunus will join the inaugural session of the 79th UNGA (opening of the high-level week) at the UN headquarters. He is scheduled to deliver his speech at the UNGA session at 10am (NY time) on September 27.
