By Maksuda Lisa (Dhaka Bureau)
The member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have reaffirmed their unwavering support for Bangladesh and the ongoing genocide lawsuit against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The 57-nation bloc expressed strong optimism that the legal proceedings will play a decisive role in ensuring accountability and paving the path toward a permanent, sustainable resolution to the long-standing Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
This commitment was reiterated during a high-level ministerial meeting of the Special Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations Against the Rohingya. The meeting took place on October 18 on the sidelines of the 52nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC in Baghdad, Iraq.
International Solidarity for Judicial Accountability
The landmark case at the ICJ was filed on November 11, 2019, by The Gambia- backed by the OIC- accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Subsequently, in January 2020, the ICJ issued binding provisional measures ordering Myanmar to prevent all acts of genocide and protect the vulnerable Rohingya population.
International human rights observers view the lawsuit as a monumental step toward establishing global accountability and justice for the hundreds of thousands of forcibly displaced Rohingya refugees currently residing in Bangladesh.
Call for Global Action and Humanitarian Justice
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir led the Bangladeshi delegation and co-chaired the special committee session in Baghdad. Terming the Rohingya crisis a major challenge for the Muslim Ummah and the broader international community, he urged member states to take collective, proactive steps to resolve the issue.
Key priorities highlighted by the Bangladeshi delegation included:
Legal and Humanitarian Support: Strengthening collective diplomatic pressure on Myanmar while providing sustained legal and financial backing for the ICJ case to reach its logical conclusion.
Five-Point Action Plan: Reiterating the five-point proposal presented by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly, emphasizing urgent steps for the safe, dignified, and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya.
Regional Peace, Middle East Conflict, and Islamophobia
Addressing the main session of the Council of Foreign Ministers on October 17, State Minister Humayun Kabir called for an immediate cessation of violence in the Middle East through continuous dialogue to restore global peace and protect supply chains. He urged an immediate end to Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians- particularly women and children- and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders.
Furthermore, Bangladesh called upon Muslim nations to launch a coordinated effort to counter the global rise of Islamophobia and discrimination.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Public Relations Officer, Mahmudul Hasan, formally confirmed the OIC’s renewed endorsement of the legal process via an official press release on October 18.
The Broader Global Perspective
Humanitarian experts emphasize that while Bangladesh has demonstrated extraordinary generosity by hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, a permanent solution cannot rely solely on humanitarian assistance. Ensuring international rule of law and holding perpetrators accountable through the ICJ remains the only viable path toward lasting justice and regional stability.
Maksuda Lisa: Maksuda Lisa is a senior journalist and one of Bangladesh’s early-generation women sports journalists, with 18 years of experience working across leading national newspapers, including Dainik Banglabazar and Manab Zamin, as well as television, print media, and online news portals. She is currently a Staff Correspondent at Pressenza International Press Agency (Dhaka Bureau).She is the first woman elected Sports Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and served two consecutive terms. Alongside journalism, she has been actively involved in cricket-particularly women’s cricket- through team management, coaching, and organizational roles. She served as a Liaison Officer at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2014, Manager of the Pink Team in the BCB Women’s Cricket Cup, and Manager of the Dhaka Abahani women’s team.A former first-class cricketer with a 15-year competitive career, she represented Dhaka and Sylhet Divisions at the competitive level. She is currently a National Panel Umpire with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Women Cricketers Association (BWCA). She holds a master’s degree in Political Science.
