Bangladesh: Dhaka hosts OIC youth capital conference

DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s prime minister on Monday urged the global leaders to promote the potential of youth in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and to build a resilient globe.

“The youth has great opportunity to be part of this decision-making by engaging themselves with ideas and innovations,” Sheikh Hasina said while inaugurating the two-day virtual Dhaka – OIC Youth Capital 2020 conference on Monday afternoon.

The world’s largest Muslim platform OIC [Organization of Islamic Cooperation] embodies the aspiration of more than 1.8 billion people including nearly one-third youths, she said, noting that Bangladesh have nearly 53 million youth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has so far killed 649,662 people and infected more nearly 16.30 million across the globe, according to US' Johns Hopkins University’s.

Hasina also called for joint efforts to protect the natural environment in a bid to stem the pandemic. “It has been observed that people living in the cherishing natural environment are fighting the pandemic better.”

“We must work together to uphold basic features of the environment in our everyday life.”

Speaking at the conference, Gambian Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dawda A Jallow highlighted the Rohingya crisis.

A genocide case filed by Gambia is under trial in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Myanmar.

As many as 250 participants, including 100 from Bangladesh and 150 others from OIC member states and beyond, are taking part in the Dhaka – OIC Youth Capital 2020.