Diplomats of Muslim countries in Dhaka believe Bangladesh will consolidate its global standing as “a progressive and forward-looking nation” for international peace and security under current leadership.
According to the foreign ministry, the diplomats also reiterated their conviction that Bangladesh will continue to maintain its “sound momentum of growth and development” under the new Sheikh Hasina government.
The envoys of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states expressed these hopes on Monday while attending a diplomatic briefing at the state guest house Padma.
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali kept them in the loop on the last day of his series of briefings for diplomats about post-election Bangladesh.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh enjoyed “the closest of ties” with the OIC member states and hoped these ties would continue to develop through “regular dialogue, understanding and cooperation”.
Ambassadors of Middle East and North African countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco and Libya attended the briefing.
The foreign minister exchanged views with the envoys on the post-election political and economic situation in Bangladesh.
He also thanked the Muslim countries for their “steadfast support” to the Hasina government in achieving a ‘seamless democratic transfer of power’ through the elections.
The OIC ambassadors reaffirmed the commitment of their respective governments to further enhance “the depth and substance of cooperation” that characterise their bilateral relations with Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Advisor HT Imam was also present and briefed them about the law and order.
The envoys also raised the issue of Muslim minorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State where sectarian violence led them to flee and take shelter in Bangladesh.
They also stressed on following up the outcomes of the OIC Contact Group visit to Myanmar last year.
The foreign minister reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to work with the Muslim countries both bilaterally and under the ambit of OIC to what he said address the “shared challenges facing the Muslim Ummah”.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque were also present.
The foreign minister started briefing the diplomats on Wednesday with 18 countries mostly developed ones.
Source: Bd news24
