US President Joe Biden on Tuesday held a rare one-on-one meeting with Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus in New York, on the sidelines of the 79th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The meeting started at the UN headquarters at 11 am (NY time), which is the first meeting of Bangladesh’s interim government chief with the US president and is seen as a "rare occasion" that will help take the two countries’ existing good relations to a new level.
During the meeting, Biden offered his country and government’s “full support” to Bangladesh and the Yunus-led interim government.
Yunus apprised the US president how the students rose against the tyranny of the previous government and gave their lives to create the opportunity to rebuild Bangladesh.
As Yunus stressed that his government must succeed in rebuilding the country and would need US cooperation, Biden said that if the students could sacrifice so much for their country, they too should do more.
Yunus also handed a copy of “Art of Triumph”, a book on wall paintings and graffiti drawn by the students and youths in Dhaka and elsewhere during and after the July-August revolution, to the US president during the meeting.
Photos showed that that the two leaders spent some quality time laughing and talking to each other before they entered a conference room in the UN headquarters for the meeting.
"This is an important day. It is very rare [to see such a meeting] at the UNGA. We expect it will be a very fruitful meeting," said the Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam ahead of the meeting.
He said Bangladesh in any case maintains very good relations with the US and with this meeting the relationship will reach a new level. "It's a good news that the US stands beside Bangladesh in this period of transition," he added.
Shafiqul said that economic cooperation, democratic transition and Bangladesh's reform issues are likely to be discussed in the meeting.
Earlier, diplomatic sources said that the implementation of reforms taken by the interim government will be a 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.
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, sources said.
Diplomats said the meeting of Yunus and Biden indicates that the US administration wants to enhance diplomatic and economic relations with the interim government of Bangladesh.
The US president’s meeting with Yunus indicates that both parties want to boost bilateral ties, they said.
During the high-level meeting, the two leaders discussed in detail how diplomatic and economic relations could be enhanced by writing a new chapter in bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the US.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told the media that 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 high-level US delegation visited Dhaka on September 15 after the interim government took charge on August 8.
UN welcomes Yunus
Meanwhile, the UN earlier in the day conveyed best wishes to Yunus as he attended the UNGA when Bangladesh is celebrating its 50-year relationship with the UN.
"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 message shared on social media platform X.
"A historic moment when we again were reminded of the importance of listening to the voices of young people," she added.
On September 17, 1974, Bangladesh became a full member of the United Nations.
Yunus is on his first visit to the US as the head of the Bangladesh government to attend the 79th UNGA. He arrived at the JFK International Airport at 10:10pm on Monday (NY time).
Earlier, the flight departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:05am (Bangladesh time) Monday, in his first visit abroad since the formation of the interim government.
Welcome reception by UN chief
Before his meeting with Biden, Chief Adviser Yunus joined a welcome reception with heads of delegation representing various countries at the UNGA hosted by Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York.
World leaders gathered here to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations."
He earlier attended the inaugural session of the 79th UNGA.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Principal Coordinator (SDGs Affairs) Lamiya Morshed, Additional Foreign Secretary Riaz Hamidullah accompanied the chief adviser.
Yunus met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the UN headquarters and discussed means to augment Bangladesh-Canada ties to deepen freedom, build institutions and support youth. He also handed over a copy of the book “Art of Triumph” to Trudeau.
Mauritius President Prithvirajsingh Roopun, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk and World Bank President Ajay Banga, among others, also exchanged greetings with Yunus at the UN headquarters.
The chief adviser is scheduled to leave New York for Dhaka on September 27 night (US time). He is expected to reach Dhaka on September 29.
The general debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly began on Tuesday and it will continue through Saturday and conclude on September 30.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain also spoke at the “Summit of the Future”, which offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity for change and a chance to commit to bold new solutions.
The General Assembly earlier started the meeting by adopting the “Pact for the Future” resolution with annexes Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations.
