The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has emphasised the role of young people, researchers, and academic institutions in contributing to the future development of regional cooperation.

The BIMSTEC Secretariat, in collaboration with Department of Law of Chittagong University, organised an outreach programme titled “From the Shores of the Bay of Bengal: Advancing Regional Cooperation through BIMSTEC” at the CU recently.

The programme was organised as a part of BIMSTEC’s continued efforts to enhance awareness about the bloc and promote greater engagement with students, academics, and young scholars for advancing regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region.

It brought together students, faculty members and academics to discuss BIMSTEC’s objectives, areas of cooperation, and the important role of youth and academic institutions in strengthening regional collaboration, according to the BIMSTEC Secretariat.

Delivering the keynote address, Director of Public Diplomacy and External Publicity at the BIMSTEC Secretariat Sonam C Namgyel highlighted the significance of regional cooperation in addressing shared challenges and creating opportunities for the peoples of the Bay of Bengal region.

The programme commenced with opening remarks by Chairman of the CU Department of Law Prof Dr Rakiba Nabi, and was chaired by Prof Dr Jafar Ullah Talukdar, dean of the Faculty of Law.

It also featured remarks from distinguished faculty members on various aspects of regional cooperation.

Chairman of the Department of Economics Prof Dr Amirul Islam shared perspectives on “Trade, Investment and Economic Connectivity among BIMSTEC Member States”, while Chairman of the Department of Political Science Prof Dr Mahfuz Parvez discussed “Inclusive and Sustainable Development in the BIMSTEC Region.”

An interactive question-and-answer session also took place, providing students an opportunity to exchange views and engage in discussions on BIMSTEC’s objectives and areas of regional cooperation.

As part of the programme, Young Scholars Certificates were awarded to the top three written submissions, made by the CU students, recognising their interest and engagement with issues related to BIMSTEC and regional cooperation.