No Yunus-Modi meeting at UNGA: Foreign adviser

There will be no meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their stay at the United Nations General Assembly in the United States this week, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told reporters in Dhaka today.

"It seems there is no possibility as Modi was going there a bit early while Chief Adviser Yunus is going there later," the foreign adviser said at a media briefing at Foreign Service Academy.

Prof Yunus is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Monday to attend the 79th UNGA in New York, which is seen as a big opportunity for him to share his government's priorities following the student-led mass uprising, and economic plans including which areas specifically the international community can be helpful in strengthening and stabilising Bangladesh's economy.

The chief adviser will have meetings — bilateral and call on — with prime ministers of the Netherlands, Pakistan and Nepal, and the president of the European Union, the US secretary of state, the UN secretary-general, the UN human rights chief, the World Bank president, and USAID administrator, said the foreign adviser.

Touhid, however, said he will have a bilateral meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines.

The foreign adviser said Dhaka would like to maintain working relations with New Delhi by removing the ongoing tension between the two neighbouring countries.

"We must try to maintain a working relation between Dhaka and New Delhi," he said.

When asked if the Yunus-Modi meeting is not being held because of any comments made by the interim government and reported in the Indian media, Touhid downplayed the suggestion and said top Indian leaders have made comments in the past too but that is not something that prevents the leaders from holding meetings.

"There may also be cases when Bangladesh does not like many comments from India. This is not a major issue. We cannot change our neighbours but can only coexist with good relationships," he observed.

Yunus to deliver speech on 27 Sept

The first day of the high-level General Debate will be held on Tuesday .

"The chief adviser will stay there for three days and he will leave New York on 27 September," the foreign adviser said. 

The chief adviser will deliver his speech on 27 September, he said.

Touhid said a major political changeover has taken place in Bangladesh and they want to let people know so that no confusion remains regarding what happened in Bangladesh. He said Prof Yunus is highly respected globally and all countries will take his remarks seriously.

The foreign adviser said he will go to New York by a separate commercial flight two days prior to the chief adviser's arrival in New York.

Touhid said reforms and human rights will be highlighted and the government will continue to make commitments to take steps on human rights issues.

"I can't justify why there were large delegations in the past. But the current government wants to avoid unnecessary expenses," he said.

The foreign adviser said this time the delegation will have 57 members, and a large number of them are security personnel. On previous occasions, the Bangladesh delegation members were much higher with 146 taking part in the 78th session, while 138 in the 77th session, 335 in the 74th session and 344 in the 73rd session.

Touhid said only those with direct responsibilities at the UNGA will accompany the chief adviser.

Bangladesh will host a high-level reception on 24 September marking 50 years of Bangladesh's UN membership.

The theme of the General Debate is "Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations."