No matter how you look at it, Dr Khalilur Rahman's election as president of the UN General Assembly is a matter of pride and prestige for Bangladesh, although not unprecedented. I am of the generation that took great pride in the late, redoubtable Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury's election as UNGA president for the 41st session, in 1986-87, while serving as the country's foreign minister. Exactly 40 years later, the current foreign minister has walked exactly in his footsteps. He is very much the man of the hour, and lends considerable gravitas and know-how to the present government's foreign policy operation.

It remains to be seen though, how Dr Rahman plans to proceed with his assignment. We know there is no obligation for him to resign from his important position in the government. Humayun Rasheed for one, served as both foreign minister of Bangladesh and UNGA president concurrently. At the same time, he has indicated, although never too categorically, to be a "full-time UNGA president", while canvassing for the post. He has also mentioned he has secured a year's holiday from his post as foreign minister, in the event of his election, from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

It is no secret of course, that Dr Rahman has been at the centre of Dhaka's strategic shift in terms of its foreign policy direction since the time of the interim government. In particular, he is viewed as the architect of a renewed policy orientation that breaks from the deposed Awami League regime's lock-step manoeuvring with New Delhi. To the extent that a country like Bangladesh would prefer to have another shoulder to lean on as it pares down the ties with its immediate neighbour, Dr Rahman is also seen as the key player in ramping up ties with Washington. We know he was one of the key interlocutors representing Bangladesh, over months of negotiations that eventually resulted in the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade signed between the two countries in February, more popularly known as the US trade deal. It has its critics, but even this week, it played a direct role in earning Bangladesh at least a 2.5% reprieve, as the Trump administration unveiled its new scheme for getting around the US Supreme Court decision to strike down its favoured reciprocal tariffs.

While the presidency of the General Assembly is largely ceremonial, it is also prestigious. It is the UN organ where countries large and small can speak, and is the scene of the only annual gathering of world leaders, in September. Recently it has taken the spotlight in reacting to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza because action by the UN Security Council has been blocked by the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and, often, the United States on Gaza. That has increased the demands for a 'full-time president'. Khalilur Rahman, in his first remarks to the local press upon his return, has already indicated an inclination towards continuing in both roles concurrently. This was always likely, given all that he has on his plate as foreign minister of Bangladesh - not least in managing the ties with Washington. This is probably the arrangement that works out best for all stakeholders involved.