Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has alerted the international community about possible disruption of peace and security in the region due to prolonged stay of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh. "As the crisis lingers, the desperation of these forcibly displaced people increases jeopardizing the peace and security of the region," he said as the two-day World Peace Conference ended on Sunday evening. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the conference Momen said Bangladesh’s strong commitment to peace and humanity encouraged it to stand for the persecuted Myanmar nationals. Like many other countries, he said, Bangladesh could have turned its back and remained insensitive. "Such indifference, however, is alien to our psyche," said the foreign minister. Also read: Let’s dream of a better world, FM Momen tells peace conference Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, he said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” "Let’s lit up the power of love in every heart and create a mindset of tolerance; let the message of peace which this conference has generated help construct a defence of peace in every mind," said Momen. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the closing ceremony as the chief guest. In Dhaka Peace Declaration, the participants said they remain sensitized to the growing security, displacement and ecological challenges posed by climate change and commit to enhanced climate action for a peaceful and sustainable future of planet. "We must join forces to keep our oceans and high seas, outer space and Polar Regions free from armed conflicts and contestations," the Peace Declaration read. The participants said they need to make the various components and manifestations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution employed at the service of our shared well-being. "We must invest in health security and make quality and affordable treatments and vaccines available for all. We envision a world where the existing global inequities no longer persist and where peace and non-violence prevail as inalienable rights," they said. Also read: Peace Conference testimony of Bangladesh's commitment to global security: FM The global participants said they cannot lose sight of the fact that absence of peace anywhere in the world implies absence of peace everywhere. "We must repose our faith and confidence in the spirit of multilateralism. We wish to see the comity of nations made fit for purpose for our evolving global realities," according to the Dhaka Peace Declaration.

President Abdul Hamid on Saturday urged the world leaders to work for ending discriminations based on race, faith, colour, religion and ethnicity and ensuring equal opportunities for all. "We must end discriminations based on race, faith, colour, religion and ethnicity, and ensure equal opportunities for all," he said. President Hamid made the call while inaugurating the “World Peace Conference-2021” that has brought together global thinkers, writers, poets, singers and political personalities, aiming to promote a culture of peace and tolerance. “The maintenance of peace and harmony is an essential element of everybody’s life. We all know peace is a public concept of harmony, friendship and the absence of conflict. Peace guarantees freedom from violence or fear between individuals or groups,” said the President.  “A fair international system is also essential for all peoples of the world. We shouldn’t forget that we live in a shared planet and we’ve shared responsibilities, too,” he said. Hamid said Bangladesh believes that peace around the world is the best guarantee for our national security following the constitutional obligations. Also read: Let’s dream of a better world, FM Momen tells peace conference "We’ll continue our efforts to resolve conflicts through peaceful means and promote peace across the globe,” he added. He urged all to leave aside the path of divisions, join hands and walk together on the path of peace. Immediately after Bangladesh’s independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was a fervent advocate of peace, introduced a constitution that guarantees the basic human rights of all its citizens, and ensures the promotion of international peace, security, and solidarity, said President Hamid. Bangabandhu’s guiding principle of “friendship to all, malice towards none” defined and set the bedrock of Bangladesh’s foreign policy, he added.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday hoped that there will be peace across the world following an end to violence, war and terror with the active support from the international community. "These activities and violence, whether against Rohingyas or Palestinians, are manmade ones. Since these are manmade, I’ve a dream: One day with your active support, we can end violence, war and terror," he said. Dr Momen hoped that no child will be without family, no soldier will lift his or her weapons to take another man’s life, disastrous bombs and hateful minds hopefully will be replaced by flowers of friendship and peace. The Foreign Minister made the remarks at the inaugural session of the "World Peace Conference" at Hotel InterContinental in the afternoon. Also read: Peace Conference testimony of Bangladesh's commitment to global security: FM President Abdul Hamid joined the inaugural session virtually and delivered speech as the chief guest.

Hosting the World Peace Conference here is the testimony of Bangladesh's "unflinching commitment" to the promotion of global peace, security, and development, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen. "The country, under the pragmatic statesmanship of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will continue to remain on the side of any initiative to promote peace as a fundamental premise for our pursuit of sustainable development," he said. Dr Momen reiterated that Bangladesh continues to be inspired by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who firmly believed in democratic rights, people's welfare and social justice as the cornerstone for building a peaceful world. He made the remarks welcoming the participants of the World Peace Conference at a dinner that he hosted at a city hotel on Friday. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen were, among others, present. On behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Patron of the World Peace Conference and on his personal behalf, Dr Momen welcomed the participants in this historic city. Read: Bangladesh’s World Peace Conference: Ban Ki-moon, Gordon Brown among global figures The Foreign Minister paid deepest respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose unprecedented charismatic leadership and long struggle helped achieve long-cherished independence. "Our enduring commitment to global peace has been best exemplified through the ‘People’s Empowerment and Development,’ a peace-centric model that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed to the UN in 2011, leading to its adoption by a consensus by the comity of nations," Dr Momen said. He said peace is more than a suspension of war and peace covers everything that contributes to lowering international tensions: cooperation that eases competition for scarce resources, institutions that channel power rivalries and allow better management of global public goods, regulation that responds to new abuses power or inequalities born of globalization, bridges between generations as well as equality between women and men for peaceful societies. "Peace can only be sustainable through appropriate and effective global governance to respond to global challenges," Dr Momen said. He said the Prime Minister’s remarkable efforts to establish a culture of peace not only in her own country or in the region, but in the world, made her one of the Champions of Peace of the present days. Her commitment towards fulfilment of the dream of Bangabandhu to make Bangladesh a Sonar Bangla- the Golden Bengal, has resulted into current day’s Bangladesh – a prosperous and peaceful country, said the Foreign Minister. Read: World Peace Conference: Dhaka to adopt ‘Peace Declaration’ President Abdul Hamid will inaugurate the "World Peace Conference-2021" on Saturday that will bring together global thinkers, political personalities and peace promoters. The conference will look back on Bangabandhu’s vision and political struggle for peace. Hasina will attend the closing ceremony of the two-day conference on Sunday as the chief guest. Both the President and the Prime Minister will join the event virtually. The conference, to be held in a hybrid format through both physical and virtual participation, will also shed light on the legacy being carried forward by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her “untiring quest” of building a peaceful, just, rights-based, inclusive and prosperous nation. “Bangladesh will get a special document through adoption of – “Dhaka Peace Declaration” – which will work as a reference for Bangladesh’s all peace and security-related global initiatives to be taken in the future,” said the Foreign Minister.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that Bangladesh will host a two-day international peace conference in November next, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “The Foreign Ministry has already started taking its preparations to arrange this conference in Dhaka on November 4 and 5, 2021,” she said, replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP Mozaffar Hossain (Jamalpur-5) in the House. Read: 10-day special programme for Bangabandhu's birth centenary The Prime Minister said a declaration titled ‘Dhaka Peace Declaration’ will be adopted in the conference. She also said the issue of giving ‘Bangabandhu Peace Award’ is under the consideration of the government. “But no specific decision has been taken yet in this regard.” About the two-day conference, Hasina said the government has already approved a proposal for arranging the event as part of the celebration of the birth centenary.  “With this conference, I believe, it’ll be possible to widely spread Bangabandhu’s outstanding contributions to the establishment of global peace and the welfare of humanity,” said Hasina, also the Leader of the House. A number of panel discussions with the participation of the dignitaries who are engaged in the noble works in different countries of the world for the establishment of peace, as well as public and private officials concerned, educationists, journalists and intellectuals will be held, she mentioned. Read: Bangabandhu's birth centenary to be celebrated abroad In the two-day conference, the works and philosophy of Bangabandhu will be discussed alongside revisiting his noble initiatives he had taken as a pioneer of world peace and humanity, she said. To make the conference a success, Hasina said a 42-member convening committee was formed with Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as its president and Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism, Saima Wazed as the convener.