Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has arrived in Istanbul, Türkiye, on a three-day official visit to attend the COP31 climate conference. The flight carrying him landed in Istanbul at 12:40 pm local time today.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and members of his delegation on a Turkish Airlines flight, Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu confirmed.

After a brief stopover in Istanbul, the Prime Minister is scheduled to depart for Antalya this afternoon. At 6:30 pm local time, he is expected to hold his first bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Maxx Royal Hotel.

The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade and investment and strengthen cooperation in key sectors.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his entourage departed Dhaka for Türkiye at 7:30 am today from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The COP31 conference will be held in Antalya on November 11 and 12. The Prime Minister will present Bangladesh’s position at a plenary session on November 12, highlighting climate justice, the historical responsibility of developed countries, climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate-resilient sustainable development.

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury told journalists in Dhaka on Monday that bilateral meetings were being arranged between the Prime Minister and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the UK Foreign Secretary. A meeting with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is also under consideration.

The meetings are expected to focus on bilateral relations, trade and investment, and climate cooperation. The Foreign Secretary expressed hope that the discussions would create new opportunities to advance Bangladesh’s economic and geopolitical interests.

He said that although Bangladesh contributes only 0.05 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Ensuring climate justice, securing adaptation finance, addressing climate-induced loss and damage, and ensuring the fulfilment of developed countries’ climate finance commitments are among Bangladesh’s key priorities.

Regarding compensation for climate-related loss and damage, the Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh regularly presents its estimates at various international forums to raise awareness and strengthen cooperation. Although estimates of such losses may vary, presenting them internationally helps advance the country’s interests.

Bangladesh will also showcase its achievements in building climate resilience and share its experiences in addressing the impacts of climate change across South Asia and the wider Asian region.

A jute pavilion has been set up by Bangladesh in the Green Zone of the conference. It will highlight the versatile uses of jute, its environmentally friendly characteristics, and the potential of jute products as alternatives to plastic. A joint declaration between Bangladesh and Türkiye on promoting jute and jute products is also under consideration.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will organise two side events in the Blue Zone on November 12 and 13. One will focus on the particular vulnerabilities of women in Bangladesh to climate change, while the other will highlight challenges in promoting biodegradable and zero-waste jute products as alternatives to synthetic polymers.

Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury said Bangladesh’s position at the conference had been determined through discussions with various ministries and stakeholders, as well as inter-ministerial consultations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated the preparations with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies.

He expressed hope that Bangladesh’s participation under the Prime Minister’s leadership would further strengthen the country’s position in international climate diplomacy.

A 21-member Bangladesh delegation is accompanying the Prime Minister to the conference. The delegation includes Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo; State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and Shama Obaed Islam; Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Forest, Environment and Climate Change Dr. Mohammad Saimum Parvez; Principal Coordinator for SDGs at the Prime Minister’s Office Professor Dr. S. M. Abdul Awal; Prime Minister’s Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibli; and Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

COP, or the Conference of the Parties, is the United Nations’ annual climate conference, where countries discuss collective action to address climate change. Türkiye is presiding over this year’s conference, while Australia is leading the formal negotiations.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home next Friday.