Visiting Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) Dr Yousef bin Ahmad al-Othaimeen yesterday suggested holding of an interfaith dialogue between Bangladesh’s Muslim religious leaders and Myanmar’s Buddhist religious leaders to resolve the Rohingya problem.
“The dialogue will help develop a better understanding among them (leaders) and resolve the Rohingya problem,” Dr Yousef said when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in Dhaka.
After the meeting, PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.
The OIC Secretary General thanked Bangladesh for giving shelter to Rohingya refugees and told the prime minister: “You’re very generous.”
Sheikh Hasina said the problem, in fact, started in 1991 and now there are some 4,00,000 undocumented Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
“We’re pursuing Myanmar to take back their nationals as I can’t throw them out,” she added.
Hasina said her government has already earmarked an island to give temporary shelter to the Rohingya refugees so that they could live in a better condition.
In response, the OIC Secretary General appreciated the move saying: “It’s a brilliant idea.”
The prime minister said the border guards of both Bangladesh and Myanmar are also having talks between them and they have developed good relations.
Dr Yousef also strongly denounced the twin menace of terrorism and extremism, and said Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance.
Hasina said her government has adopted a ‘zero-tolerance’ stance to this end and involved cross-section of people to neutralise it.
She mentioned that people from all strata like imams, teachers and guardians are also participating in combating terrorism and militancy, 
and it has yielded a positive result.
The prime minister alleged some political parties have been patronising terrorism in the country saying there is no room for terrorism in Islam.
Noting that communal harmony exits in the country, she said that country’s people are now leaving in peace and harmony.
Echoing the OIC Secretary General, Hasina said: “Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance.”
She said her government’s aim is to establish Bangladesh as a peaceful country to ensure peace and basic needs of all people for which Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had struggled and devoted his entire life.
The OIC Secretary General said his organisation is likely to introduce scholarship programmes for the students of its member-states in the fields of science, technology and medicine.
Mentioning the ongoing government stride towards setting up some 100 economic zones (EZs) across the country, Hasina welcomed investments from OIC member-countries in these EZs.
PM’s international affairs adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi and PMO senior secretary Suraiya Begum were, among others present on the occasion.


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