Dhaka calls for strengthening Bimstec

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali on Monday said the Bimstec must redouble its efforts to be more effective and result-oriented in integrating the economies of its seven member-countries for the welfare of their people, reports UNB.

"Time has come for us to seriously re-look at how we want Bimstec to be more effective and result-oriented and draw synergies with other groupings," he told an internal seminar on 'BBIN and Bimstec: Prospects and Challenges' at Sapru House in New Delhi.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), launched in 1997, comprises seven countries-Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Muazzem Ali urged Bimstec to focus on regular interaction, comprehensive connectivity within the region, enhancing regional trade through FTA, more investment, anti-terrorism cooperation, undertaking more regional projects and setting Bimstec development goals.

"We need to expedite the Free Trade Agreement between our member-states based on a win-win outcome," he said.