FROM UNITED NATIONS HEADQUAETRS (UNHQ): The whole Bangladesh is waiting for the Bangla speech that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will deliver at the 69th United Nations General Assembly on Saturday.
The premier, in a press briefing on Friday, made the disclosure that she would deliver her statement at UNGA in Bangla following the footprints of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The countrymen will asses how Bangladesh would adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda, what place the vision 2021 of Sheikh Hasina would take in that agenda and above all what importance her pledges to the nation will receive in the international forum.
Sheikh Hasina, also ruling Awami League president, might deliver her speech at any time within 10:30am-11:00am local time.
The country is looking forward to the day for another reason--this is the day when Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hold a long-expected meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in the sidelines of UNGA around 12:30pm.
Earlier on Friday in a press conference, in response to queries of journalists, Hasina said they would exchange good wishes.
She also talked for a long time and commented on almost every important bilateral issue, including commerce, diplomatic relationship and historic friendship between the two countries, the Land Boundary Treaty and Teesta Water Sharing Deal.
It can be assumed that they will discuss on both smooth and harsh issues that are affecting the friendship of these two neighbours.
The day, however, will be started with a short and unscheduled meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The UN head, in his statement, at a celebration program on the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s UN membership at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in UN Headquarters praised the leadership of incumbent Bangladesh premier saying she is leading the country to development and peace.
The UN chief welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for taking the country’s leadership anew and said Bangladesh is going forward under her leadership.
Ban said the dream of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Sonar Bangla is truly being realized today.
Bangladesh considers the issue of world peace with great importance, its men and women peacekeepers have been making their contribution and we hope they will continue it, he added.
Citing Bangladesh has reduced the degree of damage caused by natural calamities; Ban said that he mention Bangladesh’s progress while talking to many world leaders and asked them to take lessons from it.
Bangladesh will go ahead to the way of development and peace, Ban hoped.
This recognition from the UN Secretary General is a matter of pride for Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina.
However, this unscheduled meeting with Moon might add something more towards the path of achieving more pride.
All the formalities of Hasina at UNGA will be completed through her meeting with Modi.
The premier has cancelled her participation in Global Citizen Festival saying she wants to pass some more time with Bangladeshis by attending a program organized by Bangladesh expatriates in US on Saturday evening.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the felicitation program in the evening
** Bangladesh to lead peacekeeping
BDST: 1950 HRS, SEP 27, 2014
