The D-8 was conceived on 22 October 1996 when the then Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey H.E. Mr. Necmattin Erbakan invited Ministers from eight Muslim countries to find out ways and means for fostering viable cooperation. Following the “Conference on Cooperation for Development”, and after a series of preparatory meetings, the D-8 was formally launched on 15 June 1997 through the adoption of Istanbul Declaration at the First Summit of eight Muslim majority developing countries, namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. All these countries are also members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Since its inception, economic cooperation has been the priority focus of the Group. According to the first Summit Declaration (Istanbul, 1997), the main objective of D-8 has come to be socio-economic development in accordance with the principles of peace instead of conflict, dialogue instead of confrontation, cooperation instead of exploitation, justice instead of double-standards, equality instead of discrimination, democracy instead of oppression. 

The D-8 aims for Economic Cooperation to improve member states’ position in the global economy, to diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, to enhance participation in decision-making at international level, and to improve standards of living. D-8 is a global arrangement rather than a regional one, as the composition of its membership reflects. The Summit of the Heads of State/ Government is the supreme organ of the D-8 which is convened by rotation, once every two years in one of the member countries. The rotation takes place in alphabetical order and hence Bangladesh comes first and Turkey at the end in the cycle. The Summit decides, through consultations, the date and venue of the next one. The host of each Summit acts as the Chairman of D-8 until the following Summit. 

Through the 10th Summit Bangladesh will assume the chairmanship of D-8 for the term of 02 years. In the 10th Summit, Bangladesh is going to host the D-8 Youth Summit for the first time.