Measures to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation in the South and South-East Asian region are likely to dominate the second meeting of the BIMSTEC national security chiefs that kicks off in the capital today (Wednesday).
Top security officials of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations, including Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, have arrived in the city. He will lead the Indian side in the security chiefs' meeting.
Major General (Rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Defence and Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, will lead the Bangladesh side.
The meeting will discuss common security challenges faced by the member states. It will also chalk out ways and means to address various traditional and non-traditional security challenges to harness economic prosperity and to ensure human security in the region.
Ensuring maritime security in the Bay of Bengal along with cyber and space security will also come up in the meeting, diplomatic sources said. Currently, the seven-nation grouping comprises of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand.
The first meeting of national security chiefs of the BIMSTEC member states was hosted by India in New Delhi on March 21, 2017. The meeting underscored the importance of recognising the Bay of Bengal as a common security space, and also agreed to work out collective strategies for common responses.
Meanwhile, Mr Doval, who is regarded as the main security strategist of India, is scheduled to meet the government high-ups, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, sources said.
His visit ahead of Bangladesh's national election is being termed 'significant' by Indian media.
Besides, newly-appointed Indian foreign secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale is expected to visit Dhaka on April 8.
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