Bangladesh has officially taken over the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) for the next two years, reaffirming its commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, economic collaboration, and development across South and Southeast Asia.
The announcement was made via a press release issued by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday afternoon.
According to the statement, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, joined other BIMSTEC leaders at the summit held in Bangkok, Thailand.
During the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, held in the Thai capital, member state leaders unanimously adopted the Bangkok Declaration and the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision, a strategic roadmap aimed at fostering sustainable development and deeper economic integration across the region.
The chairmanship was handed over to Bangladesh following the conclusion of this year’s summit, hosted by Thailand. Under the BIMSTEC Charter, the leadership rotates alphabetically among its seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
This year’s summit convened under the theme of a “Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC,” with heads of government discussing key regional issues and cooperation strategies.
The summit began with a symbolic group photograph of participating leaders, followed by a welcome address from the outgoing chair, Thailand’s Prime Minister. A minute of silence was observed in memory of those who lost their lives in the recent earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand.
In their official statements, Dr. Yunus and other leaders presented their respective countries’ perspectives on regional cooperation and development.
LND/NÉ
