PM leaves for NY on Sept 23

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave here for New York on September 23 to attend the UN Sustainable Development Summit and 70th UN General Assembly.
Sheikh Hasina will lead a 60-member high-profile official delegation, including Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Expatriate Welfare Minister Nurul Islam, a UNB report said.
The entourage will also include Prime Minister's Advisers on Political Affairs, International Affairs, Economic Affairs and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Hasina will address the UN Sustainable Development Summit on September 27 and UNGA general debate on September 30, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told a press conference at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
A business delegation will also join the Bangladesh delegation.
The key events of the UNGA are: UN Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda on September 25-27, the General Debate of the 70th UNGA will be held from September 28 October 6.
The Prime Minister will be staying in New York till October 1.
Apart from attending the summit, the Prime Minister might have a number of bilateral meetings with India, China, the USA and other countries, and the dates for the meetings are yet to be fixed, the Foreign Minister said.
The Prime Minister in her speech is expected to highlight Bangladesh success stories in the MDGs and priority areas on SDGs.
She will receive the award of the United Nations Environment Programme and be honorued with ICT's Sustainable Award for her revolutionary initiative in building digital Bangladesh. The International Telecommunications Union will confer the award.
On the sidelines, Hasina will co-chair an interactive dialogue session with her Belgium counterpart on 'fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumptions and production' on September 26.
On September 28, the Prime Minister will co-chair a high-level summit on peace operations with US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The Prime Minister will attend a global leaders meeting on gender equality, and women's empowerment on September 27 at the invitation of the Chinese President.
On September 29, Hasina will attend leaders’ summit on countering ISIL and violent extremism to be organized by the US President Obama. She will uphold Bangladesh zero tolerance policy against extremism.
Also on September 29, Hasina will attend a special event on 'moving from MDGs to SDGs: Bangladesh Experience and Expectations' to be arranged by Bangladesh Mission at the UN. Top-ranking leaders from the UN and different agencies will join the event.
Outside the UNGA, the Prime Minister will deliver a speech on 'Girls lead the way' of world leaders forum at Colombia University on September 25.
On the same day, she will exchange views on Bangladesh trade and investment situations and prospects.
-SS