OIC asserts support to Bangladesh in fight against suicide

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Ameen Madani was received by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina at her official residence "Gono Bhaban", OIC official website said on Sunday. 

Madani was on a one-day official visit to Bangladesh last week.

The OIC Secretary General reaffirmed OIC's unflinching support of Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism in the aftermath of the unprecedented terror attack that shook the country recently. 

"Terrorism has emerged as a global threat. Killing innocent people in the name of Islam is ultimately undermining our beloved religion, a religion essentially driven by the values of peace, harmony and compassion," said Prime Minister Hasina. 

Madani briefed the Prime Minister on OIC's counter-terrorism initiatives, underlining that addressing the root causes of terrorism is a key component of the Organization's anti-terror campaign. 

The two leaders concurred that Muslim countries should be able to come together and resolve their own issues without external interference. The Secretary General invited the Prime Minister to take a leading role in this regard in implementing OIC's initiative on 'Islamic Rapprochement' as adopted by the 13th OIC Islamic Summit.

On the economic front, Madani appreciated the socio-economic impact of the micro- savings scheme initiated by Hasina, showing keen interest in the concept and its implementation process. 

Discussions during the meeting also centered on other issues of mutual concern, including ongoing conflicts in OIC and Muslim-populated non-OIC countries.

Later during the day, Secretary General Madani held bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali at the latter's office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Besides following up on the issues discussed with Prime Minister Hasina, Madani and Ali exchanged views on the agenda items for the upcoming Session of the Council of the Foreign Ministers, inviting Bangladesh to take on a pro-active role in resolving some of the pending issues. Additional issues of concern for the OIC within the region, including the Rohingya dossier, was discussed at length in the meeting. 

Source: MENA