OIC Leaders Back Bangladesh’s UNGA Presidency Bid and New Govt’s Vision

Global leaders at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Meeting have expressed high confidence in Bangladesh’s path toward political stability and economic acceleration under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

The endorsement came as Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman conducted a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit in Jeddah.

The meetings signaled a major diplomatic win for the newly elected government, with key member states—including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Gambia—pledging full support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the Presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 

Following Palestine's withdrawal from the race, Bangladesh is now set to compete with Cyprus for the prestigious 2026–2027 term.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, conveyed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is "eagerly looking forward" to visiting Bangladesh to personally congratulate Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

Highlighting a new era of cooperation, Dar expressed optimism that bilateral relations would "steadily prosper" under the current administration in Dhaka.

Similarly, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklikaya reaffirmed the historical ties between the two nations. 

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman extended a formal invitation to his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, to visit Bangladesh after Ramadan, while both sides resolved to fast-track a resolution for the Rohingya crisis.

Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhereiji emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s "Vision 2030" offers significant opportunities for Bangladesh across various sectors. 

The Saudi delegation expressed readiness to invest in Bangladesh and requested Dhaka’s support in implementing major reforms to enhance the performance of the OIC Secretariat. 

An invitation was also extended for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit the Kingdom in the near future.

During discussions with Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, Bangladesh reiterated its "unwavering support" for a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. 

In a significant boost for Bangladesh's UNGA bid, Minister Aghabekian indicated that the "Arab-Islamic flow" of votes would favor the Bangladeshi candidature.

On the Rohingya issue, Dr. Rahman thanked Gambian Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie for Gambia’s legal leadership at the International Court of Justice. 

The two nations agreed to co-host a special event on the Rohingya crisis during the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad this April.

The Foreign Minister was accompanied during these strategic dialogues by Humayun Kabir, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, and other senior diplomats.

With Inputs from UNB