Leaders at the summit, which endorsed the proposal to set up an International Centre for Counter-Terrorism to serve as a network in tracking down those elements involved in acts of terror, took an unanimous stand against those engaged in tarnishing the image of Islam.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday on the outcome of the just concluded summit, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan said Prime Minister Khaleda Zia underscored Bangladesh's firm position on terrorism and urged the OIC to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism in all forms and manifestations and take concrete measures to counter it.

Khaleda also underscored the need for establishing a multi-lingual OIC electronic media to reach out to peoples across the world in an effort to fight against the alarming phenomena of Islamophobia.

Morshed said the PM's speech and proposals were highly acclaimed by the OIC leaders, who supported the setting up of an OIC electronic media to inform the world people about Islam and the message of the holy Quran as well as counter the propaganda against Islam.

Khaleda in her interventions at the summit also emphasised the need for empowerment of huge human resources of the Ummah through education in engineering and technology and sought further support for Islamic University of Technology in Bangladesh to strengthen the institution.

The foreign minister said a major outcome of the summit was that the entire Islamic Ummah was unanimous in expressing their outrage at the acts of the few who have hijacked the true image of Islam and the path of peace and goodness to give it a bad name.

OIC leaders also expressed their firm resolve to unitedly confront the misguided groups and put an end to their efforts to defame Islam, he added.

He said the preambular paragraph of the final communiqué reads: "The summit reaffirmed that Islam is a religion of moderation which rejects bigotry and extremism, and underlines the importance of combating deviant ideology using all available means, besides developing educational curricula that firmly establish the values of understanding, tolerance, dialogue and multilateralism in accordance with the tenets of Islam."

Morshed said the summit highly appreciated Khaleda's decision to project the actual teachings of Islam and promote tolerance through the Imams of mosques in Bangladesh.

He said the leaders of Islamic countries laid emphasis on the united efforts of political leaders, academicians and civil society members in the fight against terrorism and this was reflected in Makkah Declaration.

The foreign minister said terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global phenomenon which is not confined to any particular religion, race, colour or country, and this in no way can be justified or rationalised.

He said the leaders vowed to develop their respective laws of the land and frame legislation to root out terrorism and stop every single practice leading to the financing or instigating the terrorism.

The Makkah Declaration also called for an orchestrated international effort to combat terrorism, including establishment of an International Counter-Terrorism Centre as endorsed by the Riyadh International Conference on combating terrorism, he added.

Replying to a question, Morshed said the counter-terrorism centre will complement and supplement and not to create any conflict with the UN counter-terrorism body or any other countries' efforts towards eliminating terrorism.

"Rather it would be helpful for all," he added.

He told a questioner that the OIC would soon start talking with the member states to prepare modalities and venue of the counter-terrorism centre.

Morshed also hinted about holding of another extra-ordinary summit of the OIC after the OIC Foreign Ministers' meeting in Azerbaijan to follow up the decisions of the just concluded summit.

Foreign Affairs Advisor Reaz Rahman, Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin and other high officials were present at the briefing.