Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman elected as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the 2026-2027 term after defeating the Cyprus candidate Ambassador Andreas S. Kakouris, in an open vote. Out of 190 votes cast in the election, Bangladesh bagged 99 votes defeating Cyprus which polled 91 votes.
Bangladesh last held the prestigious position in 1986 (1986-87), when the then foreign minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury was elected as president of the 41st General Assembly.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has nominated Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman for the position, earlier, the interim government had nominated former foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain as Bangladesh's candidate.
The 81st session of the UNGA will open on September 8, 2026, with the high-level General Debate beginning on September 22, 2026.
The election of the president of the UNGA for the 81st session was held on June 2 in the General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters.
