Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bangladesh, visited the COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad to discuss collaborative initiatives in science, technology, education and halal certification. He praised COMSTECH’s work across areas including artificial intelligence, environment and poverty reduction, welcomed the allocation of 100 scholarships for Bangladeshi students at the University of Lahore, and urged greater inclusion of madrassa-educated students. He also explored cooperation on a proposed Halal Institute in Uganda and sought COMSTECH’s technical support for capacity building. Bangladesh’s ambassador to Pakistan reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepen cooperation with COMSTECH and other OIC member states.
During the visit Dr. Khalid Hossain commended COMSTECH, the Ministerial Standing Committee of the OIC, for advancing science and technology initiatives that address critical challenges across the Muslim world. He highlighted the organization’s role in promoting innovation and capacity building in areas such as artificial intelligence, environmental protection, climate action and poverty alleviation.
A key outcome of the meeting was Dr. Hossain’s appreciation for the allocation of 100 scholarships for Bangladeshi students at the University of Lahore. He described the scholarship program as a valuable opportunity for promising Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education in Pakistan and called for broader access to such programs.
Dr. Hossain emphasized the importance of extending educational opportunities to students from madrassa backgrounds who possess strong foundations in Quranic and Hadith studies. He urged efforts to enable those students to transition into professional fields including medicine, engineering and technology, enabling them to contribute more widely to national and regional development.
Stressing the need for solidarity, Dr. Hossain said, “We must unite under the banner of Islam, under the guidance of the Quran and Hadith, for the greater interest of the Muslim Ummah. Without unity in diversity, we cannot progress.”
The advisor also expressed interest in COMSTECH’s involvement in establishing a Halal Institute in Uganda. He noted that Bangladesh’s Islamic Foundation and other authorities are already engaged in halal certification work and exploring collaboration with Pakistan’s Halal Authority. He proposed that COMSTECH consider providing technical support and capacity-building assistance to relevant staff involved in halal certification and related processes.
Ambassador of Bangladesh to Pakistan H.E. Md. Iqbal Hussain Khan thanked the COMSTECH Coordinator General and Secretariat officials for their hospitality and engagement. He reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to work closely with COMSTECH to achieve mutual benefits and strengthen cooperation among OIC member states.
