Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to play a more proactive role against terrorism saying that it can take initiatives to help in conflict zones.
The prime minister was meeting visiting OIC secretary general Iyad bin Amin Madani at her official residence Gonobhaban.
“Muslim countries should sit together and resolve their problems without external interference,” she was quoted by her press secretary Ihsanul Karim as saying.
Ihsanul Karim said the prime minister and the OIC secretary general discussed various issues, including ongoing conflicts in Muslim regions.
As human rights issues came up for discussion, the prime minister observed that no human rights organisation had raised their voices against the killings of children, women and innocent people by Israel in the past.
Welcoming the OIC secretary general to Bangladesh, the prime minister said terrorism has emerged as a global problem.
Bangladesh’s stance on the issue is very clear, said Hasina adding: “We’ve zero tolerance to terrorism in any form and manifestation.”
She said terrorists are killing people in the name of Islam and their acts are ultimately undermining the religion.
The prime minister said children of affluent and highly educated families are being motivated to join terror groups unlike in the past when their focus was only on poor families and madrasa students.
Appreciating the role of OIC in the past to stop fratricidal war, which is also part of terrorism, Sheikh Hasina said the organisation can also play a big role in overcoming the situation.
Madani expressed his profound shock at the loss of lives in recent terror attacks in Bangladesh saying that the OIC is determined to play an effective role in combating terrorism.
“Terrorism and cyber crimes are on the rise since 1990, and we want to change the scenario,” he said adding that OIC members,  including Bangladesh, will have to participate actively in combating crimes.
Madani also laid emphasis on addressing the root causes of youngsters’ involvement in terrorism.
He informed the prime minister of moves to promote national reconciliation among feuding groups in Muslim countries.
While appreciating the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh,  the OIC secretary general showed his keen interest in Rural Savings Bank.
PMO secretary Suriya Begum, Bangladesh ambassador to Belgium Ismat Jahan, who is going to join as the ambassador and permanent observer of the OIC to the European Union and PM’s military secretary major general Mia Jainul Abedin were, among others, present on the occasion.