Dhaka: Observing that conflicts among Muslim countries are creating a scope for others to take advantage over the Muslim Ummah, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Muslim nations could settle their disputes through talks and take a united stance against terrorism.

‘Muslim Ummah should be united to take a stance against the terrorism, but unfortunately Muslim countries are fighting each other and giving chance to others for taking advantage,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this when visiting Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Iyad Ameen Madani paid a courtesy call on her at her office.

After the meeting, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

He said the Prime Minister mentioned that terrorists are just terrorists, and the question of religion should not come when it comes to terrorism.

Sheikh Hasina said Islam is a religion of peace and harmony that teaches about tolerance. ‘The essence Islam should be known properly,’ she said.

Turning to the terrorist attacks on a Saudi Arabian Mosque, Sheikh Hasina strongly criticised the incident and said Islam never supports such heinous acts.

About OIC’s role for the development of education sector, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on science and technology based education in context of the OIC's initiatives.

In this regard, she mentioned that her government established a number of Science and Technology based universities in the country to promote science and ICT-based education in Bangladesh.

Besides, she said, her government has also been promoting research activities by allocating funds separately.

Highlighting past glorious history of Muslim researchers, the Prime Minister said they were the pioneers of science-based education and scientific research, and mentioned that her government made the religious education compulsory.

During the meeting, the OIC Secretary General said, the OIC is now 40 years old mature organisation. ‘The basic philosophy of the organisation is to integrate Muslim countries.’

About Bangladesh, Iyad Ameen this country is always in the forefront of the OIC activities and playing its due role there.

He invited the Prime Minister to attend the next OIC Summit to be held in 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Principal Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were, among others, present during the meeting.