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The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has reaffirmed its strong support for the swift, safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar.
OIC Secretary-General-elect Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed made the assurance during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the OIC, Ambassador M J H Javed, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday.
Ambassador Javed handed over a congratulatory letter from Bangladesh Foreign Minister and President of the 81st UN General Assembly Khalilur Rahman to the newly elected OIC chief.
During the meeting, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed warned that failure to find a long-term solution to the Rohingya crisis could undermine regional security and cause serious suffering for all concerned.
Ambassador Javed conveyed the foreign minister’s greetings and reiterated Bangladesh’s full support for the OIC secretary-general in his new role.
The OIC chief also praised Bangladesh’s democratic transition and expressed hope that the country’s development would gain fresh momentum under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership.
Recalling the role of the OIC’s Islamic University of Technology (IUT) in Gazipur, he highlighted its contribution to science and technology education across OIC member states. He also pledged to explore new initiatives to strengthen the institution’s research and innovation capacity, particularly in artificial intelligence.
He further said Bangladesh was among the top destinations on his travel itinerary.
The two sides also discussed opportunities for greater economic cooperation among OIC member states, including contract farming, healthcare, science and technology, hospitality and education.
Ambassador Javed thanked the secretary-general-elect for his positive outlook towards Bangladesh and its new leadership, saying Dhaka is keen to work more closely with the OIC Secretariat on shared global and regional issues.