Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has been elected President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its upcoming 81st session.

​The secret ballot voting was held on Tuesday at 10 am (Local Time) in the General Assembly Hall at the UN Headquarters.

The final results, announced around 9 pm (Bangladesh Time) following the vote counting, revealed a tightly contested race.

Bangladesh secured the prestigious post by securing 99 votes out of 190 cast ballots, defeating Cyprus's candidate who garnered 91 votes.

​The election was conducted in strict adherence to Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure.

Following the established regional rotation system among the UN's five regional groups—Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others—the presidency for the 81st session was designated for the Asia-Pacific Group.

​Bangladesh faced a formidable challenge from Cyprus, which fielded Ambassador Andreas S. Kakouris.

Ambassador Kakouris brought over four decades of robust diplomatic and administrative experience spanning both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, as well as high-level service at headquarters.

​Ahead of the highly anticipated vote, Dr Khalilur Rahman made a firm commitment to the international community regarding his leadership style.

During the campaign, he stated: ​"I’ll be everyone’s President, full-time President if elected."
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​This landmark win marks the second time Bangladesh will lead the main policy-making organ of the United Nations.

The country last held the prestigious position forty years ago, during the 1986-87 term, when then-Foreign Minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury was elected President of the 41st General Assembly.

Four decades later, Bangladesh's strategic campaign to reclaim the post has proven successful.

​The position of UNGA President changes annually.

On June 2 of last year, former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was elected to lead the 80th session after securing 167 votes, with 14 delegations abstaining.

Baerbock assumed the presidency at an exceptionally turbulent time, navigating complex global challenges including ongoing conflicts, faltering development goals, mounting global financial pressures, and the initial stages of selecting the next UN Secretary-General.
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​Dr Khalilur Rahman will officially take the reins when the 81st session of the UNGA opens on September 8, 2026.

Global leaders will converge later that month as the high-level General Debate formally commences on September 22, 2026.

​For a broader perspective on how this competitive race shaped up just before the historic vote, watch this report on the UNGA Presidency Race between Bangladesh and Cyprus, which breaks down the diplomatic significance of the election for both nations.