Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday said there is a regular procedure in terms of holding any meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York which will be followed.

“We will proceed as per the procedure that exists,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a reporter wanted to know about the possibility of a meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said it is not like they would seek such a meeting a month ago, rather there is a system to follow.

The Adviser said they are not 100 percent sure that Modi will be there at the UNGA. “In fact, if they do not want to meet us, there is nothing to do compulsorily.”

Earlier, Indian media outlet Hindustan Times claimed that Bangladesh made a formal request in this regard earlier this week.

Regarding the Chief Adviser’s delegation, the Foreign Affairs Adviser said it will be very limited and the members would not be more than 10-12.

He said there is another list beyond the list published by some media outlets. “I am going with the Chief Adviser,” he said.

The Chief Adviser is likely to reach New York on September 22 while he will return home on September 29.

The 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) will open on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

The Summit of the Future takes place on September 22 and 23, 2024. 

The first of its kind, the Summit will bring together leaders, advocates, and activists of all ages to determine how the international system can better meet the needs of current and future generations.