PM leaves for US tonight
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves for the United States tonight to attend the 69th UN General Assembly (UNGA).
An Emirates flight carrying the prime minister and members of her entourage is scheduled to take off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:30pm.
The flight is expected to reach John F Kennedy International Airport in New York at 8:25am (local time) on Monday.
According to govt sources, Hasina is leading a nearly 200-member delegation to the UNGA this year, the biggest entourage since her taking office in 2009.
The entourage members include the finance, foreign, health, expatriate welfare and food ministers. Several MPs, officials of different ministries, eminent citizens, journalists and around 70 businessmen are also accompanying Hasina.
Last year in the 68th UNGA, the prime minister led a 134-member delegation.
The theme of this year's UNGA general debate is 'Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda.'
The UNGA is likely to adopt the UN's Post 2015 Development Agenda as the time-frame for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expires next year.
Hasina is expected to deliver her speech, as usual in Bangla, on September 27 at the UNGA on behalf of Bangladesh, said foreign ministry officials.
She in her speech would focus on international peace and security, democracy and good governance, Bangladesh's leading role in women empowerment, rights of migrant workers, government's steps in poverty alleviation and progress in millennium development goals.
During her weeklong visit, Hasina is also scheduled to take part in a variety of UN meetings, side events and a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 27.
Moreover, she is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines also with the heads of state/government of different countries including Nepal, Chile, Qatar and Belarus.
The prime minister would co-chair the US-sponsored Peacekeeping Summit on September 26 along with US Vice-president Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Besides, she would attend Climate Summit 2014 hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 23 and Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) on September 24.
On September 27, the premier would attend the Global Citizen Festival-2014 at New York Central Park to be organised by Global Poverty Project. She would speak briefly inviting the international community to get involved in Bangladesh's efforts to build a hunger, illiteracy and poverty free country.
She would also address a meeting jointly organised by the US chambers and US business council.
Hasina would stay in New York from September 22 to 28 and is expected to return on September 29.
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