Bangladesh is keen to see a more vibrant BIMSTEC: FS

Bangladesh is keen to witness a more vibrant BIMSTEC with India being a key active partner of the regional economic grouping, foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen said here today.

“India is giving enough priority on BIMSTEC -- so want to know what Bangladesh as the (would be) new chair (of the forum) is thinking (about BIMSTEC),” he told media briefing after his talks with secretary east of the Indian external affairs ministry Shaurabh Kumar.

Kumar arrived here this morning on a two-day official visit and held a meeting with Bangladesh foreign secretary at state guest house Padma on various issues on BIMSTEC as a BIMSTEC ministerial retreat to be held on July 17 in Bangkok.

Dhaka is set to be the new chair of the seven-nation grouping in next December when India is scheduled to be its secretary general after the BIMSTEC summit to be held in Thailand on November 30.

Masud said foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will join the ministerial retreat on July 17 in Bangkok to discuss various issues on upcoming BIMSTEC summit.

Being the current BIMSTEC chair Thailand will host its summit on November 30 to be joined by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with other heads of the governments of the grouping.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven South and Southeast Asian nations comprised with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand

The foreign secretary said Bangladesh’s priority area in BIMSTEC is on economic front while India’s focus on security agendas and both the countries would like to synchronies the issues between each other through discussion.

“There is room between Bangladesh and India in working together on different issues under BIMSTEC,” he said.

Masud said during its chairmanship, Dhaka, which is host the BIMSTEC secretariat, will give additional importance upon this regional forum while Bangladesh’s priority is to realize BIMSTEC multilateral free trade agreement.

On the other hand, he said New Delhi would like to sign some conventions among the BIMSTEC countries on various security issues, like extradition and money laundering.

The foreign secretary said they also discussed on connectivity among the BIMSTC states. “We discussed connectivity not only through roads but also connectivity through transborder power gridline,” he added.

During the ministerial retreat in Bangkok, he said, the BIMSTEC foreign ministers would also discuss how development agencies could be involved in the grouping’s activities in future.

Replying to a question, the foreign secretary said, the ministerial retreat would also discuss on taking other regional countries as new member, dialogue partner or observer, if any state shows such kind of interest.

While asking is there any link between Indian secretary’s visit and upcoming US high level visit here, foreign secretary ruled it out and said today’s meeting was fixed long ago.

Meanwhile in a press release foreign ministry said during the meeting Foreign Secretary Masud said that as a founding member of BIMSTEC, Bangladesh is committed to deepening relations with the member states of BIMSTEC in all aspects and moving forward in materializing the objectives of this regional organization.

He also noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is an ardent proponent of the BIMSTEC process, which is manifested in hosting the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka.

He reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening the BIMSTEC Secretariat by all possible means.

Indian MEA Secretary (East) expressed New Delhi’s willingness to work together with Bangladesh to make BIMSTEC a most effective and dynamic organization.

Both sides agreed to intensify their efforts in achieving tangible progress in the field of trade and investment, connectivity, energy security, and climate change for ensuring shared peace and prosperity in the Bay of Bengal region.

Both sides also discussed the ways and means of moving forward the BIMSTEC Process and make it a vibrant and successful organization.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma was also present during the meeting, reports BSS.