United News of Bangladesh

President-elect of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday indicated he may continue to discharge his responsibilities in both capacities concurrently, citing the example Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury, the last Bangladeshi before him to be elected UNGA president. The foreign minister dedicated the victory to Bangladesh’s future, as the country reclaimed the post four decades later. “Will I leave this (foreign minister’s) job? Is that the question? Don’t be so hurried. There is precedence,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question. Dr Rahman noted that Bangladesh last held the prestigious position forty years ago (1986-87), when then Foreign Minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury was elected President of the 41st General Assembly. “I was his private secretary and we worked with him. He worked in both posts full-time,” Dr Khalilur said.  Those who follow foreign affairs have been informally discussing whether Dr Khalilur would step down from his current responsibilities as Bangladesh's Foreign Minister to serve full-time at the UN, or attempt to carry out both roles simultaneously.