Photo: MoFA

DHAKA, June 18, 2026 (BSS) - Newly appointed heads of PPD, WFP and IOM today reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh as they presented credentials to Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman.

The three representatives - Professor Dr. Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of the Partners in Population and Development (PPD) Secretariat; Coco H. Ushiyama, Country Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh; and Dr. Laura Nicole Tomm-Bonde, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh - presented their credentials to the foreign minister.

Welcoming the new representatives at the foreign ministry, Dr Rahman underscored Bangladesh's interest in deepening cooperation with their respective organizations in advancing shared development and humanitarian priorities and wished them success in their assignments.

The three representatives congratulated the foreign minister on his election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and expressed appreciation for Bangladesh's longstanding partnership with their organizations.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the Bangladesh government in pursuit of common goals.

During his meeting with Prof. Adelegan, the foreign minister appreciated PPD's role in promoting reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health, and voiced confidence that the organization would continue to strengthen its contribution to sustainable development and population-related initiatives.

In talks with Ushiyama, he commended WFP's longstanding partnership with Bangladesh in food security, nutrition, school feeding programmes and humanitarian assistance.

The minister also appreciated WFP's continued support for the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals and affected host communities in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char, stressing the importance of sustained international support for the Rohingya response.

During discussions with Dr. Tomm-Bonde, both sides explored ways to enhance cooperation in public education and market-relevant skills development for prospective migrants, improve migration-related data systems, expand safe and regular migration pathways and prevent irregular migration through awareness campaigns.

The foreign minister appreciated IOM's contribution to implementing the Global Compact for Migration, supporting the humanitarian response for Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and assisting Bangladeshi nationals stranded in crisis-affected countries.

Dr. Tomm-Bonde thanked the foreign minister for the warm reception and praised Bangladesh's leadership in promoting safe, orderly and regular migration.