Foreign Minister holds key meetings on OIC sidelines

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman held a series of bilateral meetings with key counterparts on the sidelines of the OIC Executive Meeting on Palestine in Jeddah, reaffirming Bangladesh’s principled stance on Palestine and strengthening diplomatic engagement.

During the meeting, he held talks with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhreiji, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklikaya, Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Ohanes Vartan Aghabekian, and Gambian Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie, who chaired the Executive Meeting.

The leaders congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s electoral victory and his assumption of office, voicing optimism that Bangladesh would achieve political stability and accelerated development under his leadership.

They praised Bangladesh’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and pledged full backing for the country’s bid to preside over the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his discussion with Ishaq Dar, the Pakistani foreign minister recalled his meeting last year with former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and conveyed that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif looks forward to visiting Bangladesh to extend greetings to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He expressed hope that bilateral relations would deepen under the new government in Dhaka.

During talks with the Turkish deputy foreign minister, both sides highlighted the historic bonds between the two nations and agreed to broaden cooperation in multiple sectors. Dr Rahman thanked Turkey for its continued support for the Rohingya people, and both sides committed to working toward an early resolution of the crisis. He also handed over an invitation letter to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to visit Bangladesh after Ramadan.

The Saudi vice foreign minister expressed hope that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would soon visit the Kingdom and invited Dr Rahman to Riyadh. He noted that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 presents substantial opportunities for Bangladesh, while Dr Rahman pointed to the scope for increased Saudi investment in Bangladesh. Both sides agreed to collaborate closely to realise these prospects. Elkhreiji also sought Bangladesh’s support for reform initiatives aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the OIC Secretariat.

In his meeting with the Palestinian foreign minister, Dr Rahman reiterated Bangladesh’s steadfast support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian foreign minister commended Bangladesh’s consistent backing and conveyed that the Arab-Islamic bloc would support Bangladesh’s UNGA presidency bid.

Meeting his Gambian counterpart Sering Modou Njie, Dr Rahman expressed appreciation for Gambia’s continued advocacy for the Rohingya cause, including its case before the International Court of Justice against Myanmar over alleged genocide. Both sides agreed to organise an event on the Rohingya issue during the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad in April. Njie assured the support of African countries for Bangladesh’s UNGA candidature.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabi was also present at the meetings.