PM leaves New York for home

Risingbd Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left New York for London en route home wrapping up her weeklong official visit to the United States to attend the 73rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

A British Airways flight carrying the premier and her entourage members departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport here for London at 8:20 pm local time (BST 6.20 am on Sunday).

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin and Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Masud Bin Momen saw the premier off at the airport.

The flight is scheduled to reach Heathrow International Airport in London at 7:45 am local time.

After making an over 10-hour stopover in the British capital, the prime minister will leave London for home at 6:20 pm local time (BST 11.20 PM tonight) by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

The flight is scheduled to reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday morning.

The prime minister addressed the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York on September 27 and had a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres the same day.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, she held bilateral meetings with Dutch Queen Maxima and Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on her.

The Bangladesh premier attended a Welcome Reception hosted by US President Donald J. Trump.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, she joined a number of high-level events on Rohingya crisis, cyber security, peacekeeping, women empowerment, girl education and world drug problem.

Sheikh Hasina joined a luncheon and roundtable arranged by the US Chamber of Commerce.

During the UNGA, the prime minister received two international awards.

These are “International Achievement Award’ of Inter Press Service (IPS), a global news agency, and ‘Special Distinction Award for Outstanding Leadership’ of Global Hope Coalition, a network of three not-for-profit foundations based in New York, Zurich and Hong Kong.

She also attended a civic reception accorded to her by expatriates
Bangladeshis living in the USA and addressed a press conference about the outcome of her participation in the 73rd UNGA._BSS.


risingbd/Dhaka/Sep 30, 2018/Hasan/Nasim