Bangladeshi premier calls for united efforts by OIC to establish peace in Gaza

​​​​​​​By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called on the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to work jointly to establish peace in Gaza.

“OIC member countries must work in unison to establish peace in Gaza," Hasina told Qatari Ambassador to Bangladesh Seraya Ali Mahdi Saeed Al-Qahtan at her official residence in Dhaka.

Israel's air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas have killed at least 19,667 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 52,586 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The Israeli attacks have left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the premier and the ambassador discussed the latest situation in Gaza.

Hasina also said that Palestinian doctors who graduated from Bangladesh are now working in some hospitals in Palestine.

She thanked the Qatari authorities for taking initiatives on the Gaza issue, adding that Bangladesh has sent some emergency relief to Palestine.

The Qatari envoy handed over an invitation letter to the premier to attend the 8th Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference to be held in March 2024 in Qatar.