Sheikh Hasina to open BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka on Sep 13

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the BIMSTEC headquarters in Dhaka on Sep 13, the foreign minister has said.

AH Mahmood Ali disclosed it in a meeting with the new secretary general of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Sumith Nakandala at his office on Sunday.

The foreign ministry said it would be the first ever headquarters of any inter-governmental organisations in Bangladesh.

So it is “very important” for Bangladesh, the minister was quoted as saying to the secretary general.

“The government is putting emphasis on the successful operationalisation of the headquarters.”

The minister congratulated him on his assumption of office as the secretary general.

He also assured him of the “fullest support” of the government.

The BIMSTEC Secretary General thanked Bangladesh government for its full support and cooperation for the establishment of the Secretariat.

The minister said with the Secretariat in Dhaka, BIMSTEC activities would get momentum.

The grouping was established on June 6, 1997 with the signing of Bangkok Declaration as Bangladesh India Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation.

Later Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan joined it and it was renamed as the BIMSTEC – Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

The seven members of BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.