BSS, Dhaka
President M Abdul Hamid will virtually join the Second Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Science and Technology’ at Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan today.
The OIC General Secretariat will arrange the summit in a virtual format with the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation: Opening New Horizons”, President’s Press Secretary Mohammad Joynal Abedin told BSS yesterday.
Bangladesh President Hamid will also deliver a video speech from Bangabhaban.
The summit is expected to discuss issues of science, technology, education, health, water, environment, renewable energy and the use of technology to ensure food security in the Muslim world, Joynal Abedin added.
Earlier, the head of the state joined two-daylong ‘First OIC Summit on Science and Technology’ held in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana (now Nur-Sultan) on September 10-11 in 2017.
Founded in 1969, the OIC has 57 members, 56 of which are also member states of the United Nations with 42 countries being Muslim majority countries. It is dedicated to working for “safeguarding and protecting the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony”.
Some, especially in West Africa, are – though with large Muslim populations – not necessarily Muslim majority countries. A few countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Russia and Thailand, sit as Observer States, while others, such as India and Ethiopia, are not members because they have a low population of Muslims.
The Muslim world leaders would take part in the virtual discussion on different contemporary issues, highlighting the interest of world people as well as over 1.8 billion population of OIC member states.