Hasina wants strong OIC role for Rohingyas

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stand firmly beside the Rohingyas to protect their rights.

“My appeal to the OIC is to stand solidly beside the forcibly deported Rohingyas in safeguarding their dignity and security. The Holy Prophet’s (SAW) message for us was to stand beside the distressed humanity.

She also said that there is no scope for the organisation to overlook this crisis as the Rohingya community of Myanmar is being subjected to ethnic cleansing.

The Prime Minister came up with this while addressing the inaugural session of the 45th edition of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC.

This year’s CFM has begun with a special focus on Rohingya issue and other challenges facing the Muslim Ummah at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka.

The theme of the year’s meeting is “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development.”

Bangladesh is hosting the CFM for the second time as it hosted another in 1983.

Hasina said Bangladesh has opened its heart and border for the forcibly displaced people only on humanitarian grounds.

Urging the OIC to create pressure on Myanmar government to make the country take back its nationals from Bangladesh the premier said that Myanamar has already signed a treaty in this regard.

Rohingyas deserve the right to life, dignity and existence like us, she added.