Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus has urged Islamic NGOs to engage more in social business to support the Muslim world.
He made the call when a group of NGO leaders from different Muslim countries met him at the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday. “In our world, we focus on women, healthcare. If you are poor, you have healthcare problems. We approached healthcare as a means to support the poor,” the chief adviser said.He said that social business is a good way to provide that support, adding that he is encouraging young people around the world to take up social business and become entrepreneurs.The NGO leaders present at the meeting said the social business campaign that Yunus has carried out in recent years has encouraged them to start similar ventures in their respective countries.

Eyüp Akbal, secretary general of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World, UNIW from Turkey, Muhammed Hüseyin Akta, representative of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), Fauwaz Bin Hasbullah, Persatuan Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia (WADAH) UNIW and deputy secretary general, UNIW from Malaysia, Muhammad Abdus Shakoor, president of Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan and deputy secretary general of UNIW from Pakistan, and Dr Salamun Bashri, auditing board member, UNIW from Indonesia, were present at the meeting as foreign delegates.

Besides, Prof Mahbub Ahmed, retired professor at Dhaka University and president of BIIT (Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought), SM Rasheduzzman, chairman of SAWAB (Social Agency for Welfare and Advancement in Bangladesh) and member of High Advisory Board, UNIW, Dr Ali Afzal, council member of UNIW and managing director of Krishibid Group, and Dr M Abdul Aziz, director general of BIIT and country representative of IIIT, were also present at the meeting among others.