Dhaka: Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Indra Mani Pandey has highlighted Bangladesh's leadership role as the current chair of BIMSTEC. He expressed the Secretariat's eagerness to collaborate closely with Bangladesh's new government to enhance regional cooperation within the framework of BIMSTEC.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the BIMSTEC chief hosted an Iftar-dinner on Monday evening, which brought together leaders from the government, diplomatic corps, media, academia, and business communities. The event aimed to celebrate Ramadan's spirit and promote regional peace and harmony. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam attended the event and praised BIMSTEC's role as a crucial connector between South and Southeast Asia. She also emphasized the significance of spiritual values in fostering an empathetic and integrated regional community.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat, along with Secretary (Bilateral) Dr Nazrul Islam, also participated in the Iftar. Welcoming the guests, the BIMSTEC Secretary General noted that Ramadan teaches universal values like self-restraint, compassion, and kindness, encouraging a virtuous life that contributes to a better world.
During this period of global turmoil, BIMSTEC serves as a robust regional platform, leveraging the region's shared civilizational links and developmental goals to advance the shared vision of a secure, developed, and sustainable Bay of Bengal region. BIMSTEC consists of seven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
The agenda for regional cooperation under BIMSTEC includes trade, investment, and development; blue economy; environment and climate change; mountain economy; security; energy and disaster management; agriculture and food security; fisheries and livestock; people-to-people contact; tourism; culture; poverty alleviation; visa matters; science, technology, and innovation; health and human resource development; and connectivity.