Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan has dismissed accusations by opposition parties and former diplomats that the nomination of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury as candidate for the post of secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) was the reason why Bangladesh lost the post to Turkey.
"Most representatives at the conference hailed our candidate as the best among the three after he made his speech,"
Q. Well then who cast the vote other than these representatives? How many numbers required making “Most”? Is the magic number 11? ( Ban got 12 votes including own….)
"The candidate as an individual is a secondary issue, there were no discussions about this at the ICFM," he added.
Q. Was there any discussion that Turkey is pro-Israel? If not how it has determined by SQ Chow?
Morshed said, "We have lost the election for the post but there's a victory in the loss as it showed the OIC is a democratic and a more transparent body than even the UN."
Q. Was the election for establishment for the transparency and democracy or it was for the post Secretary General?
"We have also to remember we fought against Malaysia which currently holds the OIC chairmanship, and Turkey, the host country," the foreign minister said.
Q. Why remembrance after defeating? It was known but who were confident? Who forgot to remember?
"Representatives from all countries attending the conference lauded our efforts to ensure that for the first time the OIC secretary general was elected, rather than selected under the influence of pressure groups behind the scenes," said Morshed.
Q. What about Malaysia? Were not they in election? So why is it only for Bangladesh?
SQ Chowdhury described his defeat as a victory for Israeli-American interests. "The country that won is the only OIC member to have diplomatic relations with Israel when Palestinians are being killed like flies. It is a member of Nato but is yet to sign the charter of the OIC," he added.
Q. Does any member of OIC shouldn’t maintain diplomatic relation with Israel? If no, why not addressed before? If yes, what is wrong now?
Q.Is Nato membership is disqualification to be a member of OIC? If yes why not addressed before? If no, what is wrong now?
Q. Is signing of charter of OIC mandatory before election? If yes why not addressed before? If no, what is wrong now?
Chowdhury said although Bangladesh received only 12 votes, the countries with the biggest Muslim population voted for it.
Q. Well voting result should be now on SQ_Morshed method, i.e. casting vote# X Population, but before implementing this SQ_Morshed method present result should digest.
In Bangladesh we are used to hear from any person about anything about any matter lavishly uttered, no accountability is there.
Now our big mouth has opened globally, interesting to watch what Globe say?
Report without Questions
[Edited on 20-6-2004 by mzia]