CA Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. File photo

NEW YORK, Sept 24, 2025 (BSS) – Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today held meetings with four world leaders that helped reach Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with the countries a new height, CA Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said.     
 
About the outcomes of the meetings, he said the chief adviser today held one-to-one meetings with four world leaders on the third day of his visit to New York. 
 
“Every meeting was very important and we would say our relations with these countries reached a new height through these meetings,” Alam told a press briefing here.
 
Prof Yunus held a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters here today.
 
Earlier in the day, he held a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a hotel here.
 
The chief adviser also held meetings with President of Finland Alexander Stubb and President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani on the sidelines of UNGA.
 
Alam said the Bangladesh’s next election was discussed in every meeting.
 
He said Prof Yunus in the meeting with the Italian prime minister called for elevating bilateral trade relations. In reply, the Italian premier proposed formation of Italy-Bangladesh business forum.
 
The press secretary said although Kosova is a small country, its economy is growing in Europe.
 
 It was a war-torn country in 1990s but it emerged as the top growing economy in Europe in the last two years, he said.
 
Alam said issues related bilateral interest was discussed at the chief adviser’s meeting with President of Finland Alexander Stubb. 
 
He said Finland and Italy extended their support to the Bangladesh’s democratic transition and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expects that she would visit Bangladesh in December next.
 
Rohingya issue was discussed at the four meetings, while the Italian premier said her country would send a high-level delegation to the conference on Rohingya issue to be held in UN headquarters in New York on September 30.
 
The meetings also discussed how funding for Rohingya could be increased, Alam said.
 
He said at the meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Prof Yunus condoled the deaths occurred in Pakistan recent flood.
 
Trade and economic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan were discussed at the meeting.
 
Besides, the press secretary said Prof Yunus spoke at the US-Bangladesh Executive Business Roundtable, titled "Advancing Reform, Resilience and Growth" where he urged top US companies including MetLife, Chevron, and Excelerate Energy, to invest more in Bangladesh.  
 
He said six political leaders of Bangladesh who are accompanying the chief adviser were present at the meeting and they were introduced with the US top businessmen.