BIMSTEC seeks greater youth role in regional cooperation
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 08 Sep 2026, 01:09 AM
Photo: Courtesy
The BIMSTEC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Department of Law of the University of Chittagong, organised an outreach programme to promote greater youth engagement in regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region.
Titled “From the Shores of the Bay of Bengal: Advancing Regional Cooperation through BIMSTEC”, the programme was held on 3 September at the University of Chittagong.
The programme formed part of BIMSTEC’s efforts to raise awareness about the regional grouping and encourage greater engagement among students, academics and young scholars.
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Delivering the keynote address, Sonam C Namgyel, director of Public Diplomacy and External Publicity at the BIMSTEC Secretariat, highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing shared challenges and creating opportunities for people across the Bay of Bengal region.
She also emphasised the role of young people, researchers and academic institutions in shaping the future of regional cooperation.

Prof Rakiba Nabi, chairman of the Department of Law, delivered the opening remarks, while Prof Jafar Ullah Talukdar, dean of the Faculty of Law, chaired the programme.
Prof Amirul Islam, chairman of the Department of Economics, discussed trade, investment and economic connectivity among BIMSTEC member states.
Prof Mahfuz Parvez, chairman of the Department of Political Science, spoke on inclusive and sustainable development in the BIMSTEC region.
The programme also featured an interactive question-and-answer session, allowing students to exchange views and discuss BIMSTEC’s objectives and areas of cooperation.
Young Scholars Certificates were awarded to the top three written submissions by University of Chittagong students, recognising their interest and engagement in BIMSTEC and regional cooperation.
BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It promotes cooperation in areas including trade and investment, connectivity, energy, security, health, climate change, science and technology, tourism, agriculture and food security, and human resource development.
