‘OIC to play strong role in resolving Rohingya crisis’

A top official of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has said they will play a strong role in resolving the protracted Rohingya crisis. Hesham Youssef, OIC assistant secretary general for cultural, family and humanitarian affairs, made the remark after visiting Rohingya camps at Kutupalong in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’z Bazar on Friday. "We've visited Rohingya camps, listened to their tales of sufferings and collected information about brutalities inflicted on them by Myanmar army," he said at a press briefing there. The international community should keep up pressure on Myanmar to take back its nationals, Youssef said, adding that the OIC would work with the UN Security Council and Bangladesh to resolve the crisis. He also commended Bangladesh and its people for extending their helping hands to the homeless people from Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The Rohingya issue will be presented at the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers with a greater focus, he said. A 70-member high-profile delegation of the OIC arrived at Cox's Bazar Airport around 8:45am. They visited the Rohingya camps around 11:30 am, said Mohammad Kamal Hossain, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar. The delegation involves ministers and secretaries from a total of 68 countries around the world. They visited the camps just a day before the beginning of the 45th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Dhaka. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open the two-day event at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre Saturday morning. The theme of this year's council is “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development”.