Zillur seeks int'l support to alleviate poverty

President Zillur Rahman yesterday urged the international communities to extend more support and assistance to Bangladesh for fully freeing the country from the curse of poverty and illiteracy.

“International support and assistance is needed to implement government agenda in making the country free from poverty and illiteracy,” he said while visiting Secretary General of the

Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu met him at Bangabhaban.

During the meeting, the president told the OIC secretary general that Bangladesh remains fully committed to promoting the causes of the Islamic Ummah and the Charter of the OIC.

Mentioning that Bangladesh is one of the countries worst affected by the adverse effects of climate change, he said the issue of climate change needs to be addressed at different international forums with more importance.

He said the ongoing effort of OIC would discourage the vested attempts to associate Islam with terrorism, human rights violation and any such crimes committed in the name of Islam.

“Bangladesh always condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he told the OIC chief executive.

Dr Ihsanoglu apprised the president that the OIC is no more only a religious forum rather presently it turned itself into the second-largest political organisation of the world after the United Nations.

“Presently the USA and other European countries are showing their keen interest to be observers of the OIC, and the USA has already appointed a special envoy to OIC,” he said.

Dr Ihsanoglu led a six-member delegation, including OIC Director General (Cultural & Social Affairs) Ambassador Hemayetuddin and Director General (Science & Technology) Dr Razley M Noreddin.