Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s strong commitment to the BIMSTEC process and emphasised the importance of enhancing cooperation in key areas.
He mentioned trade and investment, connectivity, energy, climate change, and people-to-people contacts as areas of cooperation.
The issues were discussed when Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Indra Mani Pandey paid a courtesy call on the foreign secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently.
At the meeting, the secretary general briefed the foreign secretary on the latest progress and current efforts within the BIMSTEC framework, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Recognising Bangladesh's key contribution to promoting BIMSTEC initiatives, Pandey highlighted the need for enhanced regional collaboration.
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As current chair, the foreign secretary reiterated Bangladesh's readiness to host BIMSTEC sectoral meetings as per convenience.
They also discussed possible initiatives during Bangladesh's BIMSTEC chairmanship to further advance regional cooperation towards realizing the vision of prosperous, resilient and open BIMSTEC.
The foreign secretary welcomed the secretary general’s assurance of full support during Bangladesh’s chairmanship of BIMSTEC.