JEDDAH — Senior officials of the OIC member states commenced a three-day meeting on Sunday to address the economic, political, cultural and bilateral issues that face the Muslim Ummah, which will be taken up for consideration by the 45th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Dhaka on May 5-6.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque who has been elected as the chair of the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) highlighted the sufferings of Muslim communities worldwide amid the changing times. He stressed the importance of sticking to Islamic values, which are also global values, to address the challenges. He hoped that under the chairmanship of Bangladesh, the OIC would be able to achieve the desired targets following the theme of the upcoming CFM session, "Islamic values for sustainable peace, solidarity and development", which is very relevant to the current situation in the Muslim world.

The meeting discussed different issues facing the Muslim world including the cause of Palestine, conflict situations in the OIC member states, countering terrorism and extremism, regional arms control and disarmament, humanitarian affairs, mediation and Islamophobia. Discussions on the situation of the Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries, especially that of the Rohingyas and the stance of the Muslim world on these issues figured prominently in the discussions.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Secretary (Bilateral & Consular) Kamrul Ahsan and Director General of Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Gousal Azam Sarker also attended the meeting.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Golam Moshi, accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission of Bangladesh Embassy Dr. Nazrul Islam, was also present during the meeting.

The Senior Officials meeting was preceded by the 41st session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS), which was chaired by Kamrul Ahsan in Jeddah from March 13-15.

Sarker and the chief coordinator of the OIC CFM in Bangladesh were also present at the meeting.

The session focused on all issues related to economic, scientific, technological, social and cultural development in the Muslim world. Issues concerning subsidiary organs of OIC, such as Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Islamic Center for Trade and Development (ICTD), Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) and International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) were discussed.

OIC member states appreciated the generous support of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the IUT, Gazipur through a grant of $2 million for the construction of a dormitory for female students and make the IUT a center of excellence with the participation of students from OIC countries, Md. Fokhrul Islam, second secretary for press at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, said in a press statement. — SG