Retain jobs of migrant workers, create voluntary Covid-19 fund: Dhaka to OIC countries

Bangladesh has said the OIC member states need a regional and global response based on unity, solidarity and compassion to overcome the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Intensified global and regional cooperation is needed not only to contain, mitigate and defeat the pandemic, but also to overcome the economic hurdles left by this crisis," said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

The foreign minister made the remarks while delivering his statement at a videoconference of the OIC executive committee at the level of foreign ministers today. The meeting was held on the consequences of Covid-19 pandemic and joint response in this regard.

Taking note of the vulnerability of migrant workers across the globe, particularly in the Middle East and other OIC member states, Momen urged for utmost importance to the issue of job retention of domestic and resident migrant workers so that sudden shock of unemployment can be cushioned and the social balance be preserved.

He said a voluntary "Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund" could be created by the willing OIC member countries, independent of the efforts put in place by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Islamic Solidary Fund (ISF).

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, chaired the videoconference.

Momen thanked Turkey for taking the initiative for the meeting.

The present members of the OIC executive committee at the level of foreign ministers are:

Turkey (immediate past summit chair), Saudi Arabia (present summit chair and host country), The Gambia (next summit chair), Bangladesh (immediate past CFM chair), UAE (present CFM chair) and Niger (next CFM chair).