Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is departing for New York, USA, on a nearly two-month visit to assume the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

During his absence, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir will assist the Foreign Minister with all other matters beyond his designated ministerial duties.

According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs source on Sunday (August 30), Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman will stay in New York from August 31 to October 21 to serve as the UNGA President. He is scheduled to leave Dhaka for New York late Sunday night.

The 81st session of the UN General Assembly will officially commence on September 8, followed by the high-level general debate featuring addresses by heads of state and government starting September 22. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman will preside over the session.

On June 2, representatives of UN member states elected Khalilur Rahman to the one-year term at the UN headquarters in New York via secret ballot, defeating Cyprus's special envoy Andreas S. Kakouris by eight votes.

Forty years ago, in 1986, former foreign secretary and politician Humayun Rashid Choudhury presided over the 41st session of the UN General Assembly.

Meanwhile, a circular issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' administration wing on Sunday stated that during the Foreign Minister's absence while fulfilling his UNGA presidency duties, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 will assist him in managing all responsibilities outside the designated portfolios of the state ministers, in accordance with the Rules of Business, 1996.