Muslim countries' united work could reduce misery of Palestinians: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the united work of Muslim countries could take the global Muslim community to a more dignified position, as well as alleviate the misery of the Palestinians.
"Today, if all the Muslim countries worked together, forging an alliance, it would have been easier to attain better position for the Muslims including reducing the misery of the Palestinians," she said after inaugurating the Hajj Programme 2024 at a function at the Hajj Camp in capital's Ashkona area today (8 May).
"We could have advanced further if Muslim countries around the world worked in unity," she said, mentioning herself as "the only sister" (head of government) among the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries.
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Sheikh Hasina said, "I told them [heads of governments] that I am the only sister [here]. I am asking everyone to reach a consensus and speak up so this kind of unfair injustice does not happen to us again."
Highlighting the sufferings of the Muslims in Palestine, she said genocide is being carried out there where no children, women or men were spared.
"But, I am protesting it wherever I get a chance. Palestine will get more land in Gaza. It is their right. No one can take away this right," she said.
The premier urged the Hajj pilgrims to pray for them.
Describing Islam as a religion of peace, Sheikh Hasina called for not doing anything that goes against the religious sentiment.
"No one should do anything – like alcohol addiction, gambling, corruption, terrorism and militancy that hurts our religious sentiment," she said.
"It is very unfortunate that a quarter of people earned a bad name for Islam by militancy. I always protest it," she added.
Sheikh Hasina said people of all religions would continuously enjoy equal rights to follow their respective religious rituals in the country.
The first hajj flight carrying 419 Bangladeshi pilgrims is scheduled to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:20am for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
