Diplomats and foreign relations experts at a seminar in Dhaka stressed the need for strengthening political, economic and strategic relations between Bangladesh and the Myanmar to tap the potentials of the two neighbours for their bilateral progress.
Mentioning the Rohingya and border management issues as the stumbling block to Bangladesh-Myanmar relations, they identified a number of prospective sectors between the two countries like trade and investment, connectivity, energy and natural resources, regional and sub-regional cooperation, and cultural exchange.
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the seminar, tilted ‘Bangladesh-Myanmar Relations: Political and Economic Dimensions’ at its auditorium.
Chaired by BIISS chairman Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, Ambassador Manzur Rahim, Ambassador Ashfaqur Rahman, Ambassador Shafiullah, Ambassador Shahed Akhter, BIISS director general major general Sajjadul Haque and Secretary of Maritime Affairs Unit under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (retd) M Khurshed Alam.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahidul Haque said as Myanmar is now undergoing a democratic transition with various crucial reforms. “Myanmar needs more manpower from other countries to promote its growing economy… we can take benefits from its both geography and demography.”
Highlighting the existing bilateral relations, he said there is a number of bilateral windows and agreements, but there has been no follow-up action.
The Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh is committed to enhancing cooperative and friendly relations with Myanmar, and hoped that the recent reforms in Myanmar will facilitate stronger Bangladesh-Myanmar ties.
Ambassador Manzur Rahim said Myanmar has huge potentials of natural resources, and Bangladesh can utilise that by strengthening bilateral relations. “Bangladesh can bring in some 2,000 megawatt of power from Myanmar by investing in its hydropower sector in Rakhine state.”
Ambassador Ashfaqur Rahman stressed the importance of bolstering political relations between the two countries saying, “We need to develop our political relations with Myanmar. Bangladesh hasn’t yet invited Myanmar democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit. We should start thinking about that.”
Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad said Bangladesh is only one of the two countries with which Bangladesh shares common borders and both face serous challenges as well as unlimited opportunities.
BIISS director general Sajjadul Haque said Bangladesh and Myanmar have had persistent cultural and commercial ties over centuries despite some ethic and linguistic differences.
The peaceful settlement of maritime dispute in the Bay of Bengal has opened up a prospect of further cooperation between the two countries as both accepted the result in a positive way, he said.
BIISS research fellow Abu Salah M Yousuf and BIISS research officer Muhibbur Rahman jointly presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
In their paper, they recommended Bangladesh strengthen diplomatic endeavours for resolving the existing bilateral disputes and enhancing friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Myanmar.
Source: Weekly Holiday
