Friday October 17, 2003 02:32 PM

STATEMENT BY BEGUM KHALEDA ZIA HONOURABLE PRIME MINISTER PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Mr. Chairman,

Your Majesties,

Your Royal Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Brothers and Sisters,

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

As we gather here in the grandeur of Putrajaya, let me begin by conveying our sincerest felicitations to His Excellency Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on his election to the Chair of the lOth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference. We, the members of the Islamic Ummah, feel greatly reassured to be led by this outstanding world statesman in these very challenging times. Our warmest tributes are also due to His Highness Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani for his wise stewardship of our Organization at a particularly critical period. Our appreciation goes to Secretary General, His Excellency Dr. Belkeziz for his untiring efforts in steering the work of the Secretariat under demanding circumstances. May I also take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the Organization's Secretariat and for providing steadfast support to our collective cause.

Mr.Chairman,

At the time of founding the Organization of Islamic Conference more than three decades ago, it was envisioned that the Muslim Ummah must combine its efforts and speak with one voice to safeguard common interests and work for their progress and well being. They had resolved to collectively fight injustice, aggression and oppression against our Muslim brothers and sisters. The challenge to uphold these principles and reach these objectives has never been so compelling as it is today.

Mr. Chairman,

The terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in September 2001 have brought about great turmoil in the global political situation. Sadly, the aftermath of that event has been felt mostly by the Muslims. An unprecedented smear campaign to vilify our great religion by linking it to terrorism has been set in motion. Harassment, discrimination, intolerance and persecution of Muslims wherever they are in minority has virtually become the norm.

What is ignored is that Islam has never condoned acts that endanger the lives of the innocent. We in the Muslim world hold the universal belief that terrorism is a faceless global phenomenon, without any religion. Bangladesh has consistently stated that terrorism and killing of innocent civilians cannot be an option for pursuing any cause. We are opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We also believe that fight against terrorism should be based on a sound strategy that is multi-pronged and relies not on military options alone. Towards this end, Bangladesh joins the international community in its fight against terrorism. It also reaffirms its total commitment to the OIC Plan of Action on Terrorism that was adopted in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Mr. Chairman,

Royal Highnesses,

Excellencies,

Today, more than ever before, our great religion has unfortunately come under close scrutiny. Our commitment to moderation and tolerance is being questioned. The immediate task for us, therefore, is to demonstrate to the international community the strength of our unity. This show of unity must go beyond rhetorics and be reflected in our deeds. In one voice, we should tell the misinformed and the ill-informed that Islam preaches peace and compassion for the suffering humanity; that it does not profess hate but prefers forgiveness; that it stands for equality of mankind and rejects discrimination; and above all, that Islam advocates peaceful co-existence with people of different faiths. The message must go out from us here that those who commit violence against innocent civilians are not fighting any religious cause. The world must realize that to ensure sustained peace, stability and harmony among people and communities, it is imperative to understand Islam, not alienate it.

Mr. Chairman,

Royal Highnesses,

Excellencies,

It was the plight of our Palestinian brothers and sisters that had inspired us to launch our Organization. Sadly, the fate of the Palestinian people is still in a state of grave uncertainty. They continue to suffer the repression of Israeli occupation and sustained military action.

Despite the occasional glimmers of hope, the Middle East situation remains as volatile as ever. We had welcomed the Road Map with the hope that it would eventually lead to a comprehensive settlement of the problem. Our Palestinian brethren had shown utmost restraint, wisdom and flexibility in responding positively to the peace plan. Regrettably, Israel has resorted to its old tactics of derailing the peace process by going back on its commitments and continuing its hostile and aggressive policies. In total disregard for internationally accepted norms of civilized behaviour, the Israeli authorities are trying to expel President Yasser Arafat, the legitimate leader of the people of Palestine, from his homeland. They have even threatened to kill him. They are also building a dividing wall deep inside the Palestinian territory. Their latest act of terrorism was to attack innocent civilians in Syria. One does not know where this will end. Bangladesh strongly condemns such acts and pronouncements. We would at the same time urge the international community to use all possible means to compel Israel to heed the voice of reason and give peace a real chance. Bangladesh, on her part, will continue to support all peace initiatives that uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and ensure the early establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Mr. Chairman,

The situation in Iraq deserves our urgent attention. The sufferings and frustrations of the common people. of Iraq dominate media headlines. They live in the midst of a destroyed infrastructure. The Ummah must take a more active role in the reconstruction of Iraq along with the United Nations. The Iraqi people must be assured of their sovereignty and the country's territorial integrity. Above all, the people of Iraq must be allowed to choose their government reflecting the opinion of all segments of the population. In our own modest way, Bangladesh stands in readiness to assist the people of Iraq in all possible ways.

Mr. Chairman,

Royal Highnesses,

Excellencies,

The theme for this 10th Summit of our Organization is "knowledge and morality for the progress of Ummah" The boundless quest for knowledge was clearly stated by none other than our Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) when he said, "one can go even to distant China for acquiring knowledge". In order to revive the glories of our past, we must begin by recalling the pioneering contributions of Islamic scholars in various fields of knowledge, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, astronomy, logic, diplomacy and architecture. I consider it a collective failure on our part not to have been able to make proper use of a legacy that we can be rightfully proud of. The Almighty has bestowed upon our Ummah the material and human resources that we ,can pool for our well being. We must aggressively invest in our human resources and our future generation through advanced education in science and technology. We must develop skilled manpower to face the new global challenges: It is only through sustained investment in knowledge in a moral environment that we can ensure the progress of the Muslim Ummah. In this respect, the Islamic University of Technology in Gazipur, Bangladesh is doing a remarkable job. My Government has continued to extend full support to this subsidiary body of the OTC. Unfortunately, contributions from many member countries to the Islamic University have not been regular, thereby seriously restraining its capacity to fulfill its task. I would, therefore, urge the member countries to extend greater support, so that the University can continue and diversify its services to the Ummah.

When we talk of the Ummah's progress, we must remember that a great majority of the more than one billion of the world's Muslim population continue to live in abject poverty and backwardness. A number of elements both within ourselves and outside. have further marginalized us. Many of our member countries continue to suffer from stiff restrictions and tariff barriers. These hinder the access of our goods into international markets. The situation in many of our African member States is precarious.

This must change. As a first step, we must strengthen cooperation -within ourselves. We must strictly follow the code of Islam to help our less fortunate brother countries. Sadly, intra-OIC economic interactions remain at a very low level. Flow of investment from the richer amongst us to the lesser developed member countries is negligible. I would, therefore, urge upon wealthier members to invest and set up joint ventures in OIC countries that offer cheaper labour. This will ensure positive returns on investment. It will also generate much needed employment in the lesser developed countries. Liberalization of trade and easier access of goods and services into the markets within the member countries will also serve to strengthen the Ummah's position in the global context.

Mr. Chairman,

Bangladesh has for long been pursuing the proposal of setting up an Islamic Common Market. This concept was first proposed by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman more than two decades ago. We believe that the establishment of an ICM will help flourish trade and commerce within the Ummah. Also, it will provide a platform to bargain with the outside world from a position of strength. We welcome the initiative of holding OIC Business Forum on the sideline of this Summit. It provides a unique opportunity for forging meaningful partnership between OIC governments and the private sector.

Mr. Chairman,

In this historic gathering of leaders of the Islamic countries, I would urge that we respond to the call of the hour by sending out a very strong message of our determination, unity and solidarity. We must revert to our original resolve to speak in one voice. We must be able to mainstream OIC in international affairs. In this regard, our first task is to revitalize the Organization. It is meaningless to adopt resolutions which ultimately go unimplemented. It is a waste of time to debate on issues, which go unheeded. We need to do some good housekeeping. We must, therefore, make every effort to revitalize the Organization, with a new vision and a target-oriented agenda.

Mr. Chairman,

It gives me great pride and satisfaction to report to you that Bangladesh since its membership has served the OIC well. We have never wavered from our commitment to uphold the immutable objectives of the OIC Charter. We have been relentless in our support to the cause of the Palestinian people and have used every opportunity, including our two terms in the UN Security Council, to pursue a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. We have used our position as coordinator of the LDCs in the UN, NAM, WTO and other international fora for larger concessions for the Least Developed Countries. Many of them are members of the OIC.

In this backdrop, I have great pleasure in informing you, Mr. Chairman and through you, the honourable Heads of Delegation assembled here, that Bangladesh has proposed the candidature of Mr. Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury as the next Secretary General of the OIC.

Mr. Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury is a distinguished parliamentarian of our country. He is presently my Adviser for Parliamentary Affairs, with the rank and status of a cabinet minister. He is fully aware of the issues that face the Ummah. I have total confidence in his commitment and ability to head our Organization. I seek your valuable support to our candidature, so that we may have an opportunity to serve the OIC more vigorously.

Before I conclude, allow me, Mr. Chairman, to express to you and through you to the people and Government of Malaysia my personal thanks and that of my delegation for the warm hospitality and lavish arrangements to make our stay in your beautiful country truly memorable. As an Asian, it gives me added happiness to be in your great country once again, for Malaysia, after all, represents the many splendours of Asia.

I thank you.

Allah Hafez