PM to champion 'Bangladesh First' agenda at upcoming UNGA: Shama
Guided by this policy, Tarique Rahman will present Bangladesh to the international community as a democratic, confident, responsible and promising nation, she says
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today (5 September) said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will advance Bangladesh's national interests, economic potential and development opportunities globally under the government's "Bangladesh First" foreign policy during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Guided by this policy, Tarique Rahman would present Bangladesh to the international community as a democratic, confident, responsible and promising nation, she added.
She made the remarks at a discussion titled "Upcoming UN Conference and Branding of Bangladesh", organised by the Centre for Non-Resident Bangladeshis at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
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Speaking as the chief guest, Shama Obaed said the prime minister would attend the UNGA for the first time since the establishment of the new democratic government.
"This year's session is an extremely important one for Bangladesh. It marks a new journey, a new possibility and a new aspiration," she added.
She said Bangladesh's reputation in UN peacekeeping missions and the international standing of its armed forces could also be used as part of the country's positive branding.
Notably, the 81st session of UNGA will open on 8 September, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
It will address poverty eradication, climate change, pandemic prevention, nuclear disarmament and the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, among other pressing global issues.
State Minister Shama Obaed also said the government wanted to create an environment that would encourage expatriate Bangladeshis and foreign investors to invest in the country.
She said the Invest Bangladesh Bill, 2026 had been introduced to reduce harassment faced by investors, while efforts were under way to move investment-related services online.
Referring to irregular migration as one of the major obstacles to Bangladesh's international image, Shama Obaed said many Bangladeshis were being deceived after going abroad with forged documents arranged by middlemen.
To address the problem, a migration wing has been established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it is working jointly with the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, she said.
She said Bangladesh should no longer be portrayed internationally merely through floods, disasters or the repatriation of undocumented migrants, reports UNB.
"Bangladesh has opportunities in tourism, business and investment, and it has the potential to be presented properly on the world map. We are trying to brand Bangladesh in the right way. The government alone cannot do everything; all of us must work together," the State Minister said.
She said the significance of the session is heightened by the fact that Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman will preside over the General Assembly.
"This is definitely a matter of pride for Bangladesh," Shama said, noting that Bangladesh's success in the election came despite Cyprus having worked for more than a decade to secure the position.
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur is now in New York and will take up his responsibilities as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly soon, a tenure that will coincide with a crucial period for the world body, including the selection of a new UN secretary-general.
The 81st session of the General Assembly will formally open on September 8, with world leaders expected to gather at UN Headquarters in New York later in the month for the annual high-level general debate.
The State Minister credited Bangladesh's diplomatic efforts, including those undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh's mission in New York, as well as the country's stability and democratic government, for playing an important role in the victory.
"Therefore, considering all these aspects, this upcoming session will be extremely important for us," she said.
PM to Attend Special UN Session on Rohingya Crisis
On the Rohingya crisis, Shama said a dedicated session would be held during the UN General Assembly with the participation of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to the UNB report.
She said the crisis has become increasingly complex because of the involvement of the Myanmar authorities, the Arakan Army, regional actors and competing international interests.
"In fact, the problem has deepened. A regional complication has been created. Without international pressure, resolving this problem will become very difficult," she said, urging Bangladeshis abroad and civil-society representatives to help mobilise international support for a sustainable solution.
The State Minister said the Rohingya crisis is a big problem for Bangladesh. "But it's not Bangladesh's problem. The problem was not created by Bangladesh."
The State Minister also highlighted Bangladesh's reputation at the UN, particularly for its contribution to UN peacekeeping operations.
Turning to the government's economic priorities, Shama said economic diplomacy is a major component of the government's manifesto.
She said the government inherited what she described as a "broken economy" and a "broken banking sector" and that restoring the economy and bringing it onto a sound footing would take time.
She said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been working from the outset to improve transparency and accountability in the banking sector and create a more investor-friendly environment for both foreign investors and non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs).
"We want to create an environment where our Bangladeshis will return to invest, and foreigners will also invest here," she said.
The government is also working to simplify investment procedures through digital services and a one-stop mechanism so that investors do not have to visit multiple government offices for different services, she said.
Shama said the government is expanding online facilities for registration, company name registration and other procedures to make doing business easier.
She also highlighted the "One Citizen, One Card" initiative, under which information currently held by different government agencies would be consolidated into a single database and linked to one card for each citizen.
The State Minister placed particular emphasis on protecting Bangladeshi migrant workers and curbing illegal migration.
She said the government holds expatriate Bangladeshis and remittance earners in high regard, but illegal migration facilitated by broker networks remains a serious concern.
Bangladeshi migrants have been falling victim to broker cartels while attempting to travel through dangerous routes, including the Mediterranean, under false promises of employment in countries such as Italy and Spain, she said.
"We are addressing this issue, and the current Prime Minister has taken direct action," Shama said.
She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment to tackle illegal migration.
For the first time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a dedicated Migration Wing to address illegal migration and issues faced by Bangladeshi expatriates, she said.
The government is also focusing on sending skilled workers abroad through more effective vocational training and skills development, with the aim of ensuring dignified and legal employment for both men and women, she said.
Shama urged the NRB community to help raise awareness among potential migrants about the risks posed by illegal migration and broker networks.
The State Minister said government agencies have begun working at the grassroots level, identifying districts where illegal migration is more prevalent and coordinating with local administrations to tackle the problem.
She said the government is working to simplify visa procedures, including provisions relating to visa-on-arrival, and that the revised policy is expected to be placed before Parliament.
"Everything the Prime Minister is doing aims to make Bangladesh more investment-friendly," she said.
Shama also stressed the importance of economic diversification, particularly in the energy sector, in view of recent global conflicts and disruptions.
The State Minister highlighted the government's focus on the Blue Economy, saying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a dedicated Maritime Wing working on the sector.
She also pointed to the introduction of the Creative Economy as a new sector in this year's budget.
The sector, she said, will provide particular opportunities for women entrepreneurs and help bring Bangladesh's art, cottage industries, handicrafts and cultural heritage into the mainstream economy while promoting them internationally.
Centre for NRB Chairperson M S Shekil Chowdhury said the organisation arranged the programme as part of its annual World Conference Series to showcase Bangladesh's positive developments to the international community.
He said the series also seeks to deepen Bangladesh's global engagement and encourage expatriate Bangladeshis to invest in the country and remit their earnings through legal channels.
Speaking at the event, CPD Executive Director Dr Nazneen Ahmed said Bangladesh should use UN conferences to present itself not merely as a country graduating from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, but as a promising, capable and transforming economy.
She said expatriate Bangladeshis could become one of the country's strongest branding assets.
Bangladesh's experience in dealing with the effects of climate change should also be highlighted internationally, she said, along with the country's legitimate claims relating to carbon trading, climate finance and the Loss and Damage Fund.
Nazneen also suggested highlighting the new opportunities Bangladesh could gain from changes in global supply chains resulting from shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Other speakers at the discussion stressed the importance of protecting domestic investment, expanding investment and labour markets in Africa, branding agricultural products, making international travel easier for Bangladeshi businesspeople and showcasing the country's skilled workforce globally.
They also called for a comprehensive, multi-dimensional branding strategy to promote Bangladesh's positive image internationally.
