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A much-hyped Yunus-Modi meet is likely tomorrow (Friday) in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit being held in the Thai capital with trade and security high on agenda.
Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh Prof Muhammad Yunus leaves Dhaka today (Thursday) to attend the 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
The summit meet of the dormant sub-regional bloc is being held under the theme 'Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC', according to a release from the BIMSTEC Secretariat.
"This summit is important for Bangladesh as it will take the chairmanship of the BIMSTEC for next two years from this event," says foreign secretary Joshim Uddin in a prelude to the meet.
Leaders of all the the BIMSTEC-member countries have confirmed their presence, but the attendance of Myanmar's junta leader Gen Min Aung Hlaing remains unclear after a massive earthquake in his country.
Officials of the foreign ministry in Dhaka were so far unsure about the proposed bilateral meeting between head of the interim government Prof Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. But latest developments indicate a thaw in the chill following the changeover in Bangladesh.
"We requested India to hold this talk (between the leaders of two countries)...there is enough possibility of holding this meeting," Dr Khalilur Rahman, high representative of the CA, told a press briefing here Wednesday ahead of the BIMSTEC Summit.
Replying to a question, Dr Khalil said the leaders of BIMSTEC-member states will discuss its future works with the Bangladesh chief adviser, so there is a scope for meeting between Prof Yunus and Narendra Modi.
"We have enough reasons to be hopeful of this meeting," he told reporters.
The high representative said the Chief Adviser would also hold bilateral talks with the leaders of other BIMSTEC states.
The summit is preceded by a meeting of BIMSTEC Senior Officials held on April 2 and a meeting of BIMSTEC Foreign or External Affairs Ministers on April 3. Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain started for Bangkok Wednesday to attend the ministerial meet.
The forum's last summit was held in 2022 in Colombo through virtual platform.
Forum officials say the summit aims to strengthen collaboration among the seven member-states-Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand-to address shared security and developmental challenges.
The agenda include adopting the 6th BIMSTEC Summit Declaration, which will outline the leaders' vision and directives, as well as the Bangkok Vision 2030, a pioneering roadmap for future cooperation among member-states.
Key agreements slated for signing include the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, designed to boost cargo and passenger transport across the Bay of Bengal, enhancing trade and travel. Additionally, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed between BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), marking the beginning of new developmental partnerships.
The summit will also see the adoption of the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, complementing the BIMSTEC Charter to strengthen the institutional framework for regional cooperation.
Furthermore, the Report of the Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC-finalised after six meetings in 2024 and consultations with stakeholders-will be presented, with members already initiating implementation steps.
The 6th BIMSTEC Summit is expected to reinforce the organisation's role as the sole regional body in the Bay of Bengal, fostering cooperation to address security and sustainable-development challenges.
Since its inception in June 1997, BIMSTEC has held five summits in Bangkok in 2004, New Delhi in 2008, Nay Pyi Taw in 2014, Kathmandu in 2018, and Colombo in 2022.
The upcoming summit marks a pivotal moment in shaping BIMSTEC's future agenda across key sectors such as agriculture and food security, connectivity, environment and climate change, people-to-people contact, science, technology and innovation, security, and trade, investment, and development. BIMSTEC is also focusing on sub-sectors including the Blue Economy and Disaster Management.
Recently, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura stated that the summit will take place from Wednesday to Friday (April 2-4) at the Shangri-La Bangkok, reassuring that Thailand's infrastructure and facilities remain safe following the earthquake that struck last Friday.
He explained that Thailand's theme - prosperity, resilience, and openness - is aimed at revitalising the economy through comprehensive connectivity, alleviating poverty by promoting trade and investment, preserving the environment and sustainability, and ensuring food and public health security in the region encompassing South Asia and Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com