Bangladesh always stands with Palestine: PM tells 14 OIC countries' mission chiefs

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reaffirmed Bangladesh's unwavering support for Palestine.

"Bangladesh stands firmly with Palestine," she said during an emergency meeting with chiefs of 14 OIC countries' missions in Dhaka. 

The premier also expressed solidarity with the ambassador of Palestine, said Hasan Jahid Tushar, deputy press secretary of the prime minister.

The meeting was held at the prime minister's official residence Ganabhaban on Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister's Office announced the meeting in a press statement.

It said the mission chiefs of the member states of the Organisations of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) set to attend the meeting include ambassadors of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco, Qatar, Libya, Turkey; high commissioners of Brunei; chargé d'affaires of the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Egypt, Oman, Indonesia and others.

Following the meeting, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will brief journalists at the Ganabhaban gate.

Earlier today, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said members of the OIC should impose an oil embargo and other sanctions on Israel and expel all Israeli ambassadors.

His state came ahead of an urgent meeting of the OIC, which is taking place in the Saudi city of Jeddah, to discuss the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after a blast at a Gaza hospital late on Tuesday killed large numbers of Palestinians.

Saudi Arabia has been leading the global condemnations following the air strike on the Gaza hospital. 

"Saudi Arabia categorically rejects this brutal attack, which is a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, including international humanitarian law," the country's foreign ministry said.

Meanwhile, hours ahead of the OIC mission chief's meeting with the prime minister, Bangladesh also issued a statement condemning Israel.