BIMSTEC must look beyond tensions, widen regional engagement: Kobir

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has urged BIMSTEC member states to look beyond bilateral tensions and widen regional engagement, stressing mutual trust, political will and a shared sense of purpose to make the grouping more effective.

"For BIMSTEC to be successful, we must not dwell on bilateral tensions but widen the net of engagement," he said. 

The state minister was speaking at a reception hosted by BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey and his spouse Sushma Pandey at a hotel in Dhaka, marking BIMSTEC Secretariat Establishment Day on Monday evening. 

Diplomats, including representatives from BIMSTEC member states, business leaders, civil society representatives and senior journalists attended the reception.

Kobir said Bangladesh would work closely with all member states and the BIMSTEC Secretariat in the coming months to advance implementation across various mechanisms and prepare for the next BIMSTEC Summit, which Bangladesh is expected to host in Dhaka in 2027.

The summit of heads of state and government in Dhaka would provide an important opportunity to review progress, set new priorities and give further political direction to the common regional agenda, he said.

"I am confident that BIMSTEC can become an even more dynamic bridge between South and Southeast Asia and a strong force for regional peace, progress, and sustainable development," Kobir said.

On behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh, he extended warm felicitations to the governments and peoples of all BIMSTEC member states on the occasion.

"Let us not walk out of regional cooperation regardless of differences. We must have the tenacity. We must have the vision to digest difficult challenges, difficult tensions, and difficult dialogue to make regional cooperation a success with mutual trust, political will, and a shared sense of purpose," he said.

He also appreciated the BIMSTEC secretary general and his team for their steadfast commitment and continued service to the shared regional endeavour.

Kobir said the establishment of the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka 12 years ago was a defining step in the institutional development of the regional grouping.

Over the past 12 years, he said, the Secretariat had evolved into the central coordinating hub of BIMSTEC, supporting member states, facilitating sectoral cooperation, preserving institutional continuity and helping translate decisions of leaders and ministers into practical programmes.

"Bangladesh is proud to host this regional institution and remains committed to providing the support necessary for it to discharge its responsibilities effectively," he said.

The state minister said the Bay of Bengal had connected the peoples of South and Southeast Asia for centuries, long before the emergence of modern regionalism.

"This Bay carried culture, knowledge, faith, and human interaction between South and Southeast Asia. BIMSTEC gives contemporary institutional form to those historic connections," he said.

The seven BIMSTEC member states - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand - together represent a vast pool of people, resources, talent and economic potential, he said.

"Our task is to transform this shared geography into shared prosperity," Kobir said.

He noted that economic uncertainty, fragmented supply chains, climate change, energy insecurity, public health risks, cyber threats, transnational crime and humanitarian challenges did not respect national borders.

"No country can address them effectively in isolation. A stronger BIMSTEC is therefore not simply desirable; it is a strategic necessity for the peace, resilience, and prosperity of our region," he said.

Bangladesh assumed the BIMSTEC chairmanship with a clear commitment to making the organisation more functional, visible, inclusive and, importantly, people-centred, he said.

"Our approach is guided by practical cooperation and measurable outcomes," he said. 

As the lead country for trade, investment and development, including the blue economy, Bangladesh attached particular importance to strengthening regional economic integration, expanding connectivity, promoting sustainable use of marine resources and creating opportunities for businesses and people, Kobir said.

He said progress towards the BIMSTEC Free Trade Area remained essential.

Kobir also highlighted the blue economy, describing the Bay of Bengal as one of the region's greatest shared assets.

Its fisheries, shipping routes, renewable energy prospects, marine biodiversity, tourism potential and coastal livelihoods could become drivers of sustainable growth, he said.

"Connectivity must remain at the heart of the BIMSTEC project," Kobir said, stressing the need for sustained implementation, innovative financing and stronger engagement with the private sector and development partners.

He said prosperity must rest on the foundation of peace and security, making cooperation in counterterrorism, transnational crime, human trafficking, narcotics, cybersecurity, disaster management and maritime security indispensable.

"We must develop trust and strengthen our cooperation further," he said.

Kobir also underscored the importance of people-to-people connectivity through tourism, education, culture, youth exchanges, professional networks, think-tank cooperation, innovation and greater interaction among the private sectors.

"BIMSTEC must become not only an intergovernmental process but also a living regional community," he said.

As the current chair of the BIMSTEC and host country of the BIMSTEC Secretariat, Bangladesh's responsibility extended beyond convening meetings, he said.

He said Bangladesh would work with all member states and the Secretariat to advance implementation and prepare for the 2027 summit in Dhaka.

"Regional instruments like BIMSTEC can work as diplomatic enablers for regional engagement and cooperation," Kobir said.