Lesson 2/34 min
OIC and the Arab League
OIC
- Now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; formerly the Organization of the Islamic Conference (renamed 2011)
- Founded: 25 September 1969 at Rabat, Morocco, where the first summit was also held
- Background: the arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, on 21 August 1969
- 24 founding members; 57 members now
- Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; three official languages: Arabic, English, French
- Secretary-general: Hissein Brahim Taha (Chad), since 2021; the first was Tunku Abdul Rahman (Malaysia)
- A summit every three years
- Members without a Muslim majority: Benin, Uganda, Cameroon, Mozambique, Suriname, Guyana
- Syria's membership was suspended in 2012 and restored on 7 March 2025
Bangladesh and the OIC
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Joined | 1974 |
| Summit | The second summit, at Lahore |
| Bangabandhu's attendance | 23–24 February 1974 |
Watch out: The book prints 1967 for the Al-Aqsa arson, but it happened on 21 August 1969; the OIC was formed soon after, in September 1969.
Arab League
- Founded: 22 March 1945; seven founding members
- Founders: Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia
- 22 members now
- Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt (Tunis during 1979–1990)
- Syria was suspended in 2011 and readmitted in May 2023
- Secretary-general: Nabil Fahmy (Egypt), since 1 July 2026
Watch out: The book names Nabil al-Araby, who served 2011–2016. Ahmed Aboul Gheit (2016–2026) has since stepped down.
Check yourself
Which OIC summit did Bangabandhu attend?
At a glance
- 1
The OIC was founded on 25 September 1969 at Rabat; headquarters Jeddah; 57 members.
- 2
The OIC has three official languages: Arabic, English and French.
- 3
Bangladesh joined the OIC in 1974; Bangabandhu attended the Lahore summit (23–24 February 1974).
- 4
The Arab League was founded on 22 March 1945; 22 members; headquarters Cairo.
- 5
Syria's OIC membership was restored in 2025.