UN Secretary-General António Guterres has praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership in addressing the issue of climate change in the international arena, reports UNB.

The UN chief made the remarks when Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Rabab Fatima presented her credentials to the UN Secretary-General (SG) at the UN Headquarters on Friday (Dec 6).

He also mentioned Bangladesh’s remarkable contribution to peace operations as well as the reputation and professionalism of Bangladeshi peacekeepers.

Guterres recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Hasina during the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) held in Madrid last week.

Rabab Fatima becomes the 15th Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the UN since 1974 when Bangladesh became the member of the apex body under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, said the Bangladesh Mission on Saturday (Dec 7).  

She was Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan prior to this appointment.

Ambassador Rabab Fatima, a career diplomat, joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1989 and held an important position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, and also served in Bangladesh Permanent Missions in New York and Geneva; and the Missions in Kolkata and Beijing in various capacities.

She has also worked with the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, as Head of Human Rights; and with the International Organization for Migration as Regional Representative for South and Southwest Asia.