Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The 5th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Roundtable begins in the capital Dhaka on Monday with the major objective of strengthening regional cooperation among South and South Asian countries to address some critical issues such as climate change, poverty alleviation and quality in higher education.
“The WIEF Roundtable in Dhaka has identified three critical issues to address: climate change, poverty alleviation through Islamic microfinance and quality in higher education through regional cooperation”, the organizers said in a press statement.
WIEF Foundation and the South East Asia Cooperation (SEACO) Foundation with support of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs, Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the High Commission of Malaysia in Dhaka are organizing the two-day WIEF roundtable.
Regional leaders, industry think tanks, leading executives and top management and experts from different areas will be participating in the roundtable to discuss, dissect and discover new ways of overcoming these pressing issues that will still besiege many countries of the region, the press statement said.
Minister for Environment and Forest Dr Hasan Mahmud will inaugurate the roundtable in the evening at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the city.
WIEF Foundation Chairman Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of Bangladesh Organizing Committee and Member of International Advisory Panel WIEF Salahuddin Kasem Khan will attend the function.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman will be chief guest at an important session on Islamic microfinance.
Each roundtable addressed specific economic and business issues and so far received overwhelming responses and support from government leaders, business communities and the media of the respective countries, Tun Musa told reporters.
In 2012 in particular, apart from the roundtable, the plans are afoot to hold similar programs in Morocco, Kyrgyzstan and London, he added.
BBN/SSR/AD-19Mar12-8:50 am (BST)
