Letters sent, more on way to bring Tarique back: Foreign minister
Representatives of 58 countries
visit Rohingya camp today
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
The government is making efforts to bring convicted acting chairperson of BNP Tarique Rahman from the United Kingdom and more endeavours are on the way, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said yesterday. We keep on sending letters...More than once...The process is on, he told a press conference when asked to confirm that recently the foreign ministry has written to the British government to send Tarique back to face justice.
Steps are taken as per the responses from the British government, he said. So, it (the process) is ongoing. More than one letter has been written and more letters are being written, the foreign minister told the press conference organised on the occasion of the 45th session Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that begins at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre tomorrow.
The Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is scheduled to open the two-day event with a theme Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development. About the CFM meet, which is being hosted by Bangladesh for the second time after 1993, he said that the Rohingya issue will get prominence alongside the challenges being faced by the Muslim Ummah.
There will be a special session on Rohingya issue. There will be brainstorming among the members regarding the issue. The member states will try to find more ways to do more for the Rohingyas, he added. Besides, the Canadian government will hold a separate programme for the cause of Rohingyas, Ali informed.
Canadian foreign minister and Canadian prime ministers special envoy on Myanmar will also attend the meeting. The German chancellor and Swedish foreign minister were also invited, but they could not make it, he said.
In addition to the efforts by the OIC, Bangladesh is also ensuring that international support is strengthened for the solution to the Rohingya crisis, he added.
A high-level delegation including ministers from 58 countries will visit Rohingya refugee camps in Coxs Bazar today, Ali said.
The number of people to visit Coxs Bazar is still fluid, said a senior foreign ministry official, adding that ministers, state ministers, secretaries and high officials of 57member countries of the OIC and Canadian foreign minister and Canadian prime ministers special envoy to Myanmar will be part of the visit.
To a question at the briefing, the foreign minister refused to acknowledge that the 57-member body has failed in delivering what it should have.
Bangladesh is a partner of the OIC in improving socioeconomic conditions and alleviating poverty of the people of the countries belonging to the organisation, he said adding that the Bangladesh expects betterment of trade and commerce among the members, moderate position with regards to culture and religion and connectivity.
Ali observed that an organisation cannot be successful in one day rather it has to be built together and said, We want the OIC to be stronger. OIC was founded in 1969, almost 50 years ago.
