The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) begins today, marking a historic chapter in Bangladesh's diplomacy as Dr. Khalilur Rahman assumes office as the session's president. He will lead the proceedings of the world's most representative multilateral forum for a one-year term.

Dr. Khalilur Rahman will inaugurate the 81st general session at UN Headquarters in New York at 3:00 PM local time on Tuesday (September 8). He succeeds former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

The session will run in New York until September 7, 2027. This year's session theme is—"Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: An Effective United Nations for All."

Prior to the start of the session, Khalilur Rahman met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York.

In a message, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN congratulated Khalilur Rahman and wished him success on assuming his new global leadership role.

Khalilur Rahman was elected president of the 81st session during an election held at UN Headquarters in New York on June 2.

In a secret ballot, he secured 99 votes, while his opponent, Andreas Kakouris of Cyprus, received 91 out of 190 total votes cast.

The presidency of the UN General Assembly rotates among the five regional groups, with the Asia-Pacific group holding the turn for the 81st session.

Khalilur Rahman won the election as Bangladesh's candidate, marking a significant milestone for the country's diplomacy.

Previously, Humayun Rashid Choudhury of Bangladesh served as president of the 41st session of the UN General Assembly in 1986–87.

After nearly four decades, another Bangladeshi has taken on this responsibility.

Composed of representatives from all 193 UN member states, the General Assembly is the organization's primary policymaking and deliberative organ, playing a crucial role in member state discussions on international peace, security, sustainable development, human rights, and other global issues.