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World leaders are viewing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as a “transformative leader” following Bangladesh’s democratic transition, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said.
Speaking at a press conference at the Bangladesh Pavilion on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, Humaiun said leaders from different countries had described Tarique as a transformative leader during courtesy calls and bilateral meetings.
He said international leaders were taking note of the Prime Minister’s democratic mandate and his responsibility for leading a country with a population of around 180 to 200 million.
Meetings with world leaders
Tarique attended the opening and plenary sessions of the World Leaders’ Summit and held courtesy meetings with the presidents of Brazil, the Maldives, Iran, Syria and Somalia, and the prime ministers of Moldova, Pakistan and Kuwait.
He also met the secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the mayor of London and the president of the Global Zero Waste Foundation.
The Prime Minister held separate bilateral meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng.
According to Humaiun, the leaders congratulated Tarique on Bangladesh’s democratic transition and his electoral mandate. They also expressed interest in strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation on international issues.
Brazil’s president accepted Tarique’s invitation to visit Bangladesh, while the Maldivian president also expressed interest in visiting the country.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa sought Bangladesh’s cooperation in rebuilding his war-torn country, particularly in development, investment, skilled manpower and employment generation.
Discussions with Pakistan, OIC
Talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif covered regional stability, the Middle East situation and other issues of mutual interest.
During his meeting with the OIC secretary general, Tarique reaffirmed Bangladesh’s firm position on Palestine and its continued support for a two-state solution.
The meeting with Kuwait’s prime minister focused on longstanding friendly relations and opportunities to expand investment and economic cooperation.
Uzbekistan and China cooperation
At his meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tarique discussed establishing direct air connectivity between Dhaka and Tashkent, easing visa procedures and expanding bilateral relations.
The Uzbek president invited him to visit Uzbekistan, and Tarique said he would consider travelling there around the New Year.
In talks with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, the two sides discussed strengthening political and economic relations and increasing Chinese investment in Bangladesh, particularly in energy, heavy industries, infrastructure and employment-generating sectors.
They also discussed potential Chinese investment in energy projects, including floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and the possibility of developing a regional economic corridor linking Bangladesh, China and Myanmar.
China’s cooperation in resolving the Rohingya crisis was another key issue.
Tarique-Erdoğan meeting
Referring to Tarique’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday, Humaiun described the discussions as highly fruitful.
The two leaders exchanged views on political relations, mutual cooperation and international issues, including Bangladesh’s potential role in promoting peace in the Muslim world.
Humaiun said Bangladesh’s longstanding experience in UN peacekeeping operations could contribute to such efforts, subject to national interests.
Meanwhile, Tarique’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, attended a COP31 side event on zero-waste management, where she highlighted government initiatives to turn waste into resources and energy and called for technological cooperation.
The State Minister said Tarique would present Bangladesh’s position and priorities on addressing climate change impacts at the World Leaders’ Summit on Thursday.
