DHAKA, 12 April 2005 — Philippines conferred the order of Sikatuna, its highest national award on former Bangladesh Ambassador Mohammed Mohsin recently for his “extraordinary and exemplary role as a diplomat of world-class caliber” and especially for his historic initiative in the Philippine peace process in late ’ 90s.
The Philippine Embassy here conducted the award ceremony on behalf of its government. Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan was the chief guest.
Mohsin was the chief OIC representative (1991-96) in successfully brokering a historic final peace agreement between the Manila government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) affirming the peace and development process in Southern Philippines. The agreement was signed in Jakarta on Aug. 30, 1996.
Mohsin’s initiative is considered one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of OIC. The Philippine Embassy termed Mohsin as a great friend and that he had done much to enhance Bangladesh-Philippine cooperative relations.
Mohsin represented Bangladesh as ambassador in several countries including Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Somalia, Nigeria, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Yemen. He also served as foreign secretary in the late ’80s. He was a permanent representative to the EU in Brussels, and completed two terms as assistant secretary-general of OIC from 1989 to1997.
Currently, Mohsin is working as senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies and as governor of the University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka.
As a member of the “Group of Eminent Persons” set up by the seven South Asian summit in 1997 he is one of the “think tanks” to develop a vision of SAARC for the year 2020 and beyond.
