State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Hoque delivered a keynote address yesterday 11 May 2026 at the grand inauguration of the “Konya OIC Youth Capital 2026.” In his speech, he called for stronger cooperation and solidarity among the youth of OIC member states.
Addressing the gathering, the State Minister said that the OIC Youth Capital program serves as a premier platform for cultural exchange and policy innovation for the Muslim world. He noted that this platform provides a strong foundation for young people to tackle global challenges such as climate change and digital ethics. He further added that Bangladesh views this summit as a vital conduit for sharing best practices and building a shared destiny among OIC member states.
Highlighting the national context, the State Minister said that Bangladesh is currently benefiting from a historic demographic dividend, with one-third of its population being youth. He explained that under the current leadership, the nation has transitioned from a labor-based economy to a knowledge-driven, tech-savvy society, with young people at the forefront of this transformation. Mentioning the sports sector, he said that Bangladesh is investing in world-class infrastructure to ensure its athletes can compete globally, describing the spirit of Bangladeshi youth as one of resilience and immense possibility.
Regarding youth development, he further said that through the National Youth and Entrepreneurship policies, the government is transforming job seekers into job creators by providing low-interest start-up grants and vocational training. He emphasized that the goal is to foster an ecosystem where an idea from a remote village can grow into a global enterprise. He strongly advocated for sports as a tool for nation-building and proposed the establishment of the “OIC Games” to foster a more cohesive and united Islamic world.
The event was also addressed by H.E. Osman Aşkın Bak, Minister of Youth and Sports of Turkey; Dr. Boubakari Maiga, Head of Youth and Sports at the OIC General Secretariat; Ibrahim Akın, Governor of Konya; and Ahmet Büyükgümüş, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party.