Diplomatic Desk:
A grand reception was held on Monday (September 14, 2026) at the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka to mark the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Secretariat. Business In Bangladesh Editor Engr. Mohammad Shajibul-Al-Rajib, participated as an invited guest at the program.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir graced the occasion as the chief guest. He urged BIMSTEC member nations to remain committed to regional cooperation despite bilateral differences and tensions, emphasizing the importance of mutual trust, political will, and shared goals.
He stated, “Regardless of our differences, let us not stray from the path of regional cooperation. We must maintain that resolve. To ensure the success of regional cooperation through mutual trust, political will, and shared goals, we need to possess the visionary outlook and mindset to navigate difficult challenges, tensions, and complex negotiations.”
BIMSTEC Secretary General Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey thanked the Government of Bangladesh—the current Chair of BIMSTEC—for undertaking various initiatives to strengthen regional cooperation and for successfully managing the Secretariat in Dhaka. Recalling the organization’s historic journey, the Secretary General noted that it began as a regional platform connecting South and Southeast Asia through the Bangkok Declaration on June 6, 1997. Initially launched as ‘BISTEC’ comprising Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, the organization later expanded to include Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal, eventually adopting its current name, ‘BIMSTEC’.
He stated that since its inception, BIMSTEC has made significant progress in establishing an institutional framework for regional cooperation. Currently, alongside operating under its own Charter, the organization is pursuing the ‘BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030’. Cooperation across 18 sectors has been organized into seven broad areas.
Ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives from various countries—including the ambassadors and high commissioners of the seven BIMSTEC member states—were present at the event.
