Foreign ministers of the BIMSTEC countries have appointed Bangladesh’s candidate ambassador M Shahidul Islam as the next secretary general of the organization for a term of three years.
The decision was taken at the 15th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting held in Kathmandu on Aug 11.
Islam is currently serving as the ambassador of Bangladesh to France. Earlier, on 10 August, the senior officials’ meeting recommended the appointment of secretary general of Bangladesh as the tenure of the first secretary-general expired on the same day, said a press release of the foreign ministry.
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali led Bangladesh delegation to the BIMSTEC ministerial meeting.
As the current chair of BIMSTEC, Nepalese foreign minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara chaired the meeting.
Earlier, on 10 August, Nepal’s prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the meeting and the foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member states paid a joint call on the prime minister.
Prime Minister Deuba emphasised on the need for developing connectivity along with other areas of cooperation to unleash potentials for economic development of BIMSTEC countries.
Among others, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Lyonpo Damcho Dorji and India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the Meeting. This foreign minister level meeting of BIMSTEC was held after more than three years.
The ministerial meeting took stock of the progress made in the 14 areas of cooperation and on the outcome of the BIMSTEC leader’s retreat held in Goa, India in October 2016 on the sideline of BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach summit.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand are the members of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
This sub-regional grouping of South and South East Asian Nations has completed 20 years since its inception as BIST-EC in 1997 through Bangkok Declaration.
During the meeting, foreign minister Mahmood Ali called upon the member states to review past performances, renew commitment and reframe strategy to transform BIMSTEC as one of the most dynamic regional organisations of the 21st century.
Mahmood Ali urged the member states to conclude BIMSTEC free trade area negotiations for its early implementation and stressed to enhance cooperation in science and technology and ICT sectors, climate change, culture and tourism and blue economy, among others.
He requested the member states to give a big push together to bring in dynamism in the areas of cooperation of BIMSTEC.