Ekmeleddin seeks support, Moscow keen to expand co-op with Dhaka

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NEW YORK, Sept 26 (UNB): Bangladesh and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) have agreed that active measures need to be taken to project Islam as a religion of peace, harmony and tolerance.
The understanding was reached when OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu called on Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed at the UN Headquarters Tuesday on the sidelines of the current United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.
The OIC Secretary General sought Bangladesh's active support for various initiatives that he has launched within the OIC.
Ekmeleddin also requested early ratification of a number of agreements that Bangladesh had signed with the OIC.
He also expressed the hope that Bangladesh would have a high-level participation in the forthcoming OIC summit to be held in Dakar, Senegal in March next year.
"Bangladesh is a large Muslim country and is viewed by the OIC as a very important player in the organisation as well as the international community," the Secretary General said, adding OIC depends heavily on Bangladesh support.
Among others, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Munaim and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Ismat Jahan and Director General of OIC Hemayet Uddin were present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Moscow has expressed its keen interest to expand cooperation with Dhaka in bilateral areas as well as in international arena.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who leads the Russian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session made the remarks while meeting Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session at UN Headquarters here Tuesday.
The Chief Adviser said Bangladesh sees Russia as a "historic friend", and is "eager to extend its cooperation in trade, development and political areas."
They discussed the possibilities of procurement of wheat and fertiliser by Bangladesh from Russia, and also increase of imports of Bangladeshi products into the Russian market.
Possible cooperation in the area of nuclear power was also discussed. It was agreed that the two countries would continue to work together for mutual benefits.
The Russian foreign minister said Russia supports the initiatives being taken by the caretaker government in Bangladesh.
Fakhruddin thanked Sergei Lavrov for the warm reception accorded recently to Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury when he visited Russia recently.
Both the sides stated that steps were underway in Bangladesh and Russia on follow-up actions to the agreements reached during Iftekhar's visit.
Among others, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Munaim and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ismat Jahan were present at the meeting.