Bangladesh will now face competition from Cyprus and Palestine in the race for the presidency of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the 2026-2027 term, following Palestine’s entry as the third candidate.

Bangladesh had announced its candidacy around four-five years ago during the Awami League government.

"We announced our candidacy four years ago. Initially, our competition was with Cyprus. Palestine came much later and announced its candidacy without even contacting us, which is normally expected," Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s nominee for the position, told reporters on Tuesday.

Criticising recent media headlines, Hossain said the headline was written as ‘Bangladesh faces Palestine' but it should have been ‘Palestine faces Bangladesh,’ since Bangladesh declared its candidacy much earlier.

The presidency of the UNGA rotates among five regional groups. For the 81st session, it is the turn of the Asia-Pacific region. Three countries from the region—Bangladesh, Palestine, and Cyprus—are now in the running.

Bangladesh last held the prestigious position in 1986, when the then Foreign Minister Humayun Rashid Chowdhury was elected as President of the 41st General Assembly. Forty years later, Bangladesh is seeking to reclaim the post.

The 81st session of the UNGA will open on September 8, 2026, with the high-level General Debate beginning on September 22, 2026. Elections are scheduled for June 2026.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already finalised its diplomatic campaign and election strategy and the upcoming UNGA will be an occasion to engage extensively.

If elected, Hossain will become the second Bangladeshi to serve as President of the UNGA.