Yunus off to New York to attend 79th UNGA

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus left Dhaka for New York this morning to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

A Qatar Airways flight, carrying Yunus and his entourage, departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 5:10am, a top official of the airport told The Daily Star.

This is his first trip abroad as the chief adviser.

Yunus will present at the 79th UNGA the interim government's vision of building a democratic and inclusive Bangladesh where human rights will be upheld.

The Nobel laureate will have a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Prof Yunus will also address the General Debate of the UNGA on September 27 the theme of which will be "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations."

On the sideline, he is likely to hold bilateral meetings with the Italian president, Kuwait crown prince, and prime ministers of the Netherlands, Pakistan, and Nepal.