DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves for the United States on Saturday morning to attend the 65th UN General Assembly of world leaders, who will make their deliberations on the universal good of humanity in the fast-changing milieu.

A special flight of Bangladesh Biman, carrying the PM, will take off from Shahjalal International Airport at about 8:15 am.

Sheikh Hasina is expected to reach Belgian capital Brussels at local time 1:45pm. After night stay there, she will leave for New York at 11am Sunday. On landing at John F Kennedy Airport in New York at about 2 pm local time, the Bangladesh premier will go to the Grand Hayat Hotel.

Sheikh Hasina will address the UN General Assembly on September 27. She will also attend several seminars and meetings on the Millennium Development Goals during her stay in the USA.

The premier’s official entourage includes Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister AK Khandaker, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni and Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque.

Earlier on September 15, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said that Bangladesh would organize a conference on climate change with the heads of state and government of South Asian countries on the sidelines of the UN assembly.

She told journalists that the premier, in her speech, would also seek more international financial aid from the international community to face the challenges of climate change.
 
Dipu Moni further informed that the PM would demand duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to the markets of the developed countries, including the USA.

Sheikh Hasina would place a strong plea for allowing free movements of Bangladeshi workers in different countries of the world, protection of their due rights and an increase in the facilities for the migrant Bangladeshi workers.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to return home on September 29.”

BDST: 1807 HRS, SEPT 17, 2010