Handout                                                                                           Number : 4110

D-8 Secretary General meets State Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dhaka, 13 Kartik (29 October) :

            Secretary General of the D-8 Ambassador Dato’ Jaafar Ku Shaari called on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam at the latter's office in Dhaka yesterday.

            D-8 Secretary General briefed the State Minister about the upcoming 10th Summit to be held in Dhaka early next year. He also briefed the State Minister about the various initiatives undertaken by the D-8 – particularly in the field of technology and innovation, universal health care services, in the newly established Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and establishing FIZs (D-8 Free Industrial Zones). 

            State Minister Alam reiterated Bangladesh commitment towards a more effective and functional D-8 realising its full potential. He also emphasized on how to better collaborate between the member states by leveraging experiences and skills of one member state for others on complementarity basis, especially in the field of energy, tourism, blue economy etc.

            D-8 stands for Organization for Economic Cooperation, which comprises eight largest Muslim developing countries viz Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. It was established in 1997 at the 1st Summit held in Istanbul. Bangladesh hosted the 2nd D-8 Summit in 1999. 

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Khadiza/Mahmud/Sanjib/Joynul/2019/1900hours  

Handout                                                                                                         Number : 4108

Faruk Khan seeks support of Thailand for early

and safe repatriation of Rohingya

Bangkok (Thailand), October 29 : 

            Muhammad Faruk Khan, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met Chuan Leekpai, President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand and Gen. Singsuk Singpai, First Vice-President of the Senate of Thailand today at the Thai Parliament to form opinion for early repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh.

            Highlighting the humanitarian gesture of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mr. Khan briefed the 4-point policy direction of the Prime Minister to the President of the National Assembly; and sought their support for early, safe and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya people. He also highlighted the negative consequence of the prolong stay of these Rohingya people in Bangladesh and the ASEAN countries and beyond. He also requested the president to discuss this Rohingya issue with due importance during the next 35^th ASEAN Summit to be held in Thailand in the early next month. 

            Chuan Leekpai, the President of National Assembly who is also the the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand, reiterated that Thailand would continue its support regarding Rohingya issue possibly in every forum. 

            During the meeting, Muhammad Faruk Khan extended the invitation of the speaker of Bangladesh Parliament to the president of Thai national Assembly to visit Bangladesh and Chuan Leekpai gladly accepted the invitation. During the meeting with the First Vice-President of the Senate of Thailand, Faruk Khan sought support for the early repatriation of Rohingyas. Different aspects of Rohingya repatriation were also discussed during this meeting.

            Nurul Islam Nahid, Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Md. Nazmul Quaunine, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand were also present in the meetings. 

            Earlier on 28 October evening, Farukh Khan, and Nurul Islam Nahid attended an interactive session and dinner at the Hotel Anantara Siam hosted by Md. Nazmul Quaunine, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand with Pikulkeaw Krairiksh, Chairperson of the Committee, the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of Thailand, selected members of the leading think-tanks and media, and briefed them about the latest situation of the Rohingya and sought their support for repatriation of these Rohingya people. 

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Tohidul/Mahmud/Sanjib/Salim/2019/1845 Hrs