OIC Day today

Bangladesh called for greater unity of the Muslim Ummah and an effective role of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference at this crucial juncture.

"The need for greater unity of Ummah has never been so pronounced. Recent developments in the world exposed deep divisions in the international community," President Iajuddin Ahmed said in a statement marking the OIC Day.

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He noted there are concerns over the efficacy of the rules and instruments regulating world order. " Peace efforts in the Middle East have suffered yet another setback," he said, adding, " Our Iraqi brothers and sisters are suffering and they are in anguish."

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said the relevance of the OIC is more prominent now in the face of "new challenges confronted by the Muslim World".

On the question of Iraq, she said the Iraqi people should be relieved of their sufferings and hoped that the Ummah would take more active role in the reconstruction of Iraq, along with the United Nations.

" We stand by our Iraqi brothers and sisters in support of their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in their efforts at national reconstruction," the prime minister said.

She urged the United Nations to assume its responsibility towards the Palestinian people, implement its own resolutions and establish a sovereign, independent State of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Conveying greetings on behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh to the fellow-Muslim nations, the PM wished the second observance of the OIC Day should regenerate the hopes for a better future for all Muslim nations overcoming the challenges of the day.