Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves Dhaka for New York on Wednesday morning on an eight-day official visit to the United States to attend the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and members of her entourage took off from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 09:45am.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon and PM's Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were present at the airport to see the Prime Minister off.

Besides, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hussain Bhuiyan, PM's Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, the chiefs of the three services, the US ambassador in Dhaka and the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh as well as high civil and military officials were present.

After nearly a three-hour stopover at the Heathrow International Airport in London, she will fly to New York by a British Airways flight that will land at John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport at 10:00pm (NY time) on Wednesday.

After a warm reception at the JFK Airport, the Prime Minister will be taken to Hotel Waldorf Astoria New York in a ceremonial motorcade. She will stay at the hotel during her visit to the USA.

This year’s UNGA is being considered as very important for Bangladesh as the ‘Champions of the Earth’, the highest environment-related award of the UN, and the ‘ICTs in Sustainable Development Award’ of the International Telecommunication Union will be handed over to the Bangladesh Prime Minister.

Besides, the agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be adopted during the 70th UNGA as it will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were forged in the year 2000. Countries like Bangladesh have made commendable progress in achieving most of the goals set in MDGs (2000-2015).

During her stay in New York, the Prime Minister along with other heads of state and the government will attend the opening session of the 70th UN General Assembly on 28 September.

On the day, Sheikh Hasina will join a reception to be given by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as a luncheon to be hosted in honour of the heads of state and government attending the assembly.

The Prime Minister will deliver her country speech in the general debate of the UNGA on 30 September  and is expected to highlight issues like global peace and security, democracy, good governance, women empowerment, poverty eradication, right of migrant workers, climate change and achieving Millennium Development Goals.

Apart from attending the general debate of the UNGA, Hasina will join the high-level roundtable on South-South Cooperation to be held on 26 September at the UN Headquarters.

The following day, she will attend the ‘Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality hand Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action’ at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On that day, the Prime Minister will co-chair an interactive dialogue titled ‘Fostering Sustainable Economic Growth, Transformation and Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production’ with the Prime Minister of Belgium.

Besides, she will address the plenary session of the ‘UN Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda’ on 27 September highlighting Bangladesh’s priorities.

In her speech, Hasina is expected to reiterate the country’s commitment towards sustainable development targets and government activities to this end.

Besides, Sheikh Hasina will be accorded a community reception by the expatriate Bangladeshis living in the USA at Hilton Midtown Hotel on 27 September.

On 28 September, Sheikh Hasina will co-chair the ‘High-Level Summit on Peacekeeping’ with US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The Summit will be co-hosted by the USA, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Rwanda, Uruguay and the UNSG.

On 29 September, the Prime Minister will attend the ‘Global Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism’ to be organised by the US President.

The Prime Minister will also join a function on ‘Moving from MDGs to SDGs: Bangladesh Experience and Expectations’ as the chief guest, while high-ranking UN officials and leaders of different countries will participate.

She will also address a press conference at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York on the same day.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, Hasina will address the World Leaders Forum on ‘Girls Lead the Way’ at Columbia University on 25 September.

The same day, she will exchange views with the Business Council for International Understanding of the United States of America at the Hotel Waldorf Astoria in New York.

Besides, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with a number of the heads of state and government including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Nepalese Prime Minister Shushil Koirala.

On her way back home, Sheikh Hasina will stay in London for a day where she will be accorded a community reception at a hotel on 2 October.

The Prime Minister will return home on 3 October.