Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman will travel to Jeddah to attend an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday to discuss measures against policies threatening the two-state solution and the status of Palestinian territories. The visit will mark his first official trip abroad since assuming office as foreign minister on 17 February.
According to multiple sources at the foreign ministry, the minister will participate in the emergency meeting of the OIC Open-ended Executive Committee at the level of foreign ministers. The meeting is expected to address recent Israeli actions in the West Bank, including land classification and settlement-related measures that the OIC considers illegal and harmful to prospects for a two-state solution.
Officials said the meeting will provide an opportunity for Bangladesh to reaffirm its longstanding support for the rights of the Palestinian people and to engage with member states on recent developments in the Middle East.
A senior foreign ministry official said the visit would also serve broader diplomatic purposes for the newly formed government.
“The new government has assumed office only recently, and this is a good opportunity to share its vision with many countries in a multilateral forum,” he said.
The official noted that Bangladesh could also use the occasion to build diplomatic support for several important international elections in which the country plans to participate between now and 2030.
Bangladesh is preparing to contest a number of key positions in multilateral institutions, including the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly to be elected in June this year. The country also plans to seek membership in the executive body of the United Nations Human Rights Council next year.
In addition, Bangladesh intends to contest elections for the International Civil Service Commission in 2028 and a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2030.
Diplomatic sources said the emergency OIC meeting is expected to bring together foreign ministers and senior representatives from a large number of member states, providing an important platform for bilateral interactions on the sidelines of the conference.
Officials believe the visit will help the new foreign minister establish early contacts with his counterparts and set the tone for Bangladesh’s diplomatic engagement under the new government.
