Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said Bangladesh aims to become a confident and active actor in the Bay of Bengal region, not merely a passive corridor, as shifting global dynamics reshape the regional order.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Bay of Bengal Conversation (BoBC) 2025 on Saturday (November 22), organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in Dhaka, the Adviser outlined Bangladesh’s approach to navigating what he described as an era of “rivals, ruptures, and realignments.”
“Bangladesh chooses to be an active, sovereign, and responsible player,” Hossain said. “In moments of realignment, states are tempted to pick sides, but Bangladesh should first pick the right course. We will engage robustly, speak firmly when needed, and partner productively always guided by national interest and regional stability.’’
He highlighted five priorities for Bangladesh: shifting geometry of power, fragmentation of stability, weaponization of knowledge, economic realignment, and climate-security challenges.
On the shifting balance of power, Hossain stressed that Bangladesh’s partnerships must yield tangible benefits. “We will engage with major and middle powers alike, but our decisions will be guided by national interest, sovereign equality, and mutual respect,” he said.
Addressing global instability, the Adviser said crises from Ukraine to Gaza and Myanmar have shown the weakness of international crisis-management mechanisms. He noted Bangladesh’s role in hosting over a million Rohingya refugees and contributing to UN peacekeeping missions, saying stability must be pursued through effective multilateral cooperation.
Hossain also warned about the weaponization of information, citing the growing influence of artificial intelligence, deep fakes, and misinformation. “Information is now a tool of power. Bangladesh stands ready to engage with these themes and to promote frameworks that protect both security and rights,” he added.
On economic realignment, he said Bangladesh must diversify trade, deepen regional cooperation, and ensure that partnerships are rooted in mutual opportunity rather than exploitation. “We must turn the Bay of Bengal into a corridor of growth and prosperity,” he said.
Highlighting the climate-security nexus, Hossain said Bangladesh, as a low-lying country, faces rising sea levels, salinity intrusion, and internal displacement. “We must construct cooperative frameworks that link security to environmental resilience,” he urged.The Bay of Bengal Conversation 2025, running until November 24, has gathered more than 200 speakers and 1,000 participants from 85 countries.
CGS President Zillur Rahman described BoBC as one of South Asia’s leading Track-II diplomacy platforms, while Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi underscored its strategic significance. “The Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s most dynamic zones of population growth and economic activity. BoBC creates a rare opportunity to bring together the region’s diverse policy approaches,” Abbasi said.
According to UNB, this year’s conference is focusing on global rivalries, regional shifts, artificial intelligence, climate change, and migration issues that continue to shape the future of the Bay of Bengal region.
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