Bangladesh makes anti-terror resolve clear at regional meet in Delhi

The state minister for foreign affairs has told the BIMSTEC that the government will be “as tough as needed” to stamp out militancy from Bangladesh.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 21 July 2016, 07:11 PM
Updated : 21 July 2016, 07:11 PM

Md Shahriar Alam was referring to the July 1 terrorist attack in a Dhaka café while speaking at the seventh ‘BIMSTEC Business Forum’ on Thursday in New Delhi.

He also told the meeting that Bangladesh would continue to work “closely” with its neighbours, the international community, regional organisations, including BIMSTEC and the UN, to fight the menace of terrorism, violent extremism, and radicalisation.

Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal are the members of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation or BIMSTEC.

The BIMSTEC Secretariat and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) organised the Business Forum.

The state minister stressed the early start of the BIMSTEC free trade agreement (FTA) to boost intra-regional trade and investment.

He also stressed stronger regional cooperation on connectivity, energy cooperation, and counter-terrorism, among other issues.