Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually deliver her key speech at the 75th UN General Assembly on Saturday highlighting global issues, including Rohingya crisis and vaccine, with a call for ensuring vaccine for all at an affordable cost.

The pre-recorded speech would be aired at 8:00pm (Bangladesh time), Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said yesterday.

The centrepiece of any new General Assembly session is the general debate which starts today, a week after the official opening.

The foreign minister briefed the media virtually on various aspects of the UNGA and Bangladesh's virtual presence. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen were also present.

Like previous years, the Bangladesh PM will deliver her speech in Bangla.

Momen said the premier will highlight vaccine issue so that everyone gets access to vaccine at an affordable price.

She will also highlight steps taken by the government in addressing people's sufferings and protecting them from Covid-19 and the importance of working together to ensure availability of a vaccine for all.

She will also deliver pre-recorded speeches at a number of programmes.

The first one is scheduled to be broadcasted at 4:00am today at the high-level event to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

Hasina, like other global leaders, is joining the 75th UN General Assembly virtually due to Covid-19 pandemic. She will also talk about climate change, migration, women empowerment and child rights, exchange of technology and gender balance.

Momen said Bangladesh will take up the Rohingya issue in the UNGA like previous years, especially ongoing legal procedures at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice.

Bangladesh will raise the Rohingya issue for the fourth time and reiterate the five-point proposals placed by Hasina earlier seeking solution to the crisis.

The minister said he would attend a number of events virtually apart from representing the PM at some programmes.

PM'S HIGH-LEVEL EVENTS

Momen said issues related to international community's support, especially development partners, for keeping the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unhurt and giving equal attention to overcoming Covid-19 challenges and SDGs will be discussed at the UNGA, which began on September 15, this year.

Hasina will attend high-level dialogue on "Digital Cooperation: Action Today for Future Generations" tomorrow. The following day, she will deliver speech at the high-level roundtable on Climate Action and will highlight climate issues as the chair of Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

On September 29, the PM will virtually attend the high level event on Financing for Development in the era of Covid-19 and beyond.

She will address a summit on biodiversity on September 30.

The premier will also deliver speech at the high-level meeting on October 1 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for action (Beijing +25).