Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will take the message of a “New Bangladesh” and its progress to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Saturday.

“The Prime Minister will go to the United Nations with the message of the progress of a New Bangladesh,” he told journalists at a hotel in the city this morning.

Kobir also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman could meet US President Donald Trump during the UNGA engagements.

On Bangladesh-India relations, the state minister said discussions were underway over a possible visit to India by the prime minister, but no date had yet been finalised.

He said that despite outstanding issues between the two neighbours, Dhaka remained committed to resolving differences through dialogue and maintaining constructive relations with New Delhi.

“As a neighbour, we should maintain good relations with India,” Kobir said, adding that the door to dialogue remained open despite various problems between the two countries.

On the energy sector, the state minister strongly criticised what he described as “psychopathic corruption” under the previous government, saying the extent of the irregularities could be understood by examining the sector.

He said the prime minister was giving the highest priority to energy security and that the government was working sincerely to address the sector’s existing challenges.

Regarding the proposed Mecca Pact, Kobir said discussions were continuing and Bangladesh’s participation in such an arrangement would not be unusual.

He noted that many countries were currently part of multiple security arrangements, stressing that Bangladesh’s decisions would ultimately be guided by its national interests.

“Based on the national interest, we will go wherever we need to go,” he said.

Asked about the purchase of Boeing aircraft from the United States, Kobir said no one was pressuring Bangladesh to buy the aircraft.

“Boeing aircraft are being purchased from the United States because there is a demand for them, and more will be purchased if necessary,” he said.

On Bangladesh’s labour market in Malaysia, the state minister said syndicates that operated under the Awami League government had negatively affected the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.

He said the current government had dismantled those syndicates and that workers would now be sent to Malaysia in phases.

Asked about reports that Bangladeshi nationals had been denied hotel accommodation in Kolkata and consequently spent nights on the streets, Kobir said the foreign ministry would take necessary action if specific cases were brought to its attention.