The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, NewYork

Bangladesh calls for greater unity and cooperation among the Islamic Ummah, "particularly at a time when it confronts manifold challenges". Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said this at a Conference of Islamic Foreign Ministers held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York Tuesday.

"We must strengthen cooperation among member states to prevent conflicts, achieve an independent Palestine, safeguard the rights of the Muslims where they are a minority, and prevent unilateral actions against Muslim states," he told the conference.

Dr Iftekhar underlined the importance of the OIC to focus on development and said in the economic and scientific fields, the Islamic world must achieve higher levels of development and prosperity as it have abundant resources and capacities. "It's important that we make the best use of our comparative advantages to promote our socioeconomic development," he added. He also urged the OIC to pay a special atention to the Least Developed Countries within the Ummah and assist them through special measures. Dr Iftekhar regreted that Islam is often equated with terrorism in Western mind and said, "Islam is a faith of peace, and that the Islamic world is united against terrorism."

He, however, said it was important to address the "root causes of terrorism" and eliminate them. He said Bangladesh will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Islamic brethren in the rest of the Ummah to meet the challenges it faces today and join the endeavours to overcome them through common strategies.