Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali for greater OIC role in counter-terrorism

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has called for mobilising all possible resources available with the OIC to fight terrorism.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 May 2015, 04:55 AM
Updated : 28 May 2015, 06:55 AM

He said resources must be mobilised in a way so that those reach the target audience in a “smart, efficient and effective manner to outsmart those working to the detriment of the entire Islamic world”.

Ali was speaking on a sideline event after the opening of the 42 session of OIC's council of foreign ministers on Wednesday in Kuwait.

At the opening event, Ali also spoke on behalf of the Asian Group for the second consecutive year.

He expressed his concerns over the “lack of tolerance” and surge of terrorism in different parts of the world particularly within the Muslim countries.

He sought greater and more intense  OIC involvement with the international community in arresting terrorism.

For an effective OIC strategy, he advocated the establishment of a Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism Unit in the OIC Secretariat.

The unit was mulled to coordinate the implementation of the proposed strategy, including strengthening its existing mechanisms to monitor and counter the rising trend of Islamophobia.

He reiterated Bangladesh’s “zero-tolerance” policy to all forms of terrorism and violent extremism, and the country’s commitment to forge global partnership against terrorism.

He hoped that the two-day 42nd Council meeting would be able to address some of the pressing issues facing the Islamic Ummah, such as Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict and specially the situation in Yemen, where Bangladesh has strongly supported the cause of country's unity and stability.

He also mentioned the plight of muslim minorities in Myanmar, specially the Ronhingyas, who are now subjected to “systematic discrimination” and forced to register as “Bengalis”.

“There is a growing concern that such treatment may lead their radicalisation and subsequent recruitment by terrorist networks operating in the region,” Ali said.

Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chaired in the opening of the foreign ministers’ council.

The foreign minister also met him in a bilateral meeting later in the day to discuss issues of mutual interest.

In response, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister praised Bangladesh for its role during their war of liberation in early 90s from Iraqi occupation and subsequent assistance in removal of land mines from all over the country.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the present level of bilateral relations and hoped to take it to the next level.

Ali invited him to visit Bangladesh.