ZCZC
BSS-11
BIMSTEC-SUMMIT 2 LAST DHAKA
The agreements are – ‘Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of
BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection’ that aims to set up power grids among the
member states under a large framework to promote regional power trade and
‘BIMSEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters’ that aims
to check criminal activities within the region through sharing information.
After the retreat session, the leaders of the member states will issue a
joint declaration.
On the sideline of the summit, the leaders of the region will hold
bilateral meetings. “We are expecting a bilateral meeting between our
Honourable Prime Minister and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shahriar
said.
As the founder member as well as host country of BIMSTEC Secretariat that
was established in Dhaka in 2014, the State Minister said, Bangladesh put
highest importance on the summit aiming at increasing regional cooperation
for attaining more prosperity and securing peace in the region.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina and her entourage will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
here for Kathmandu tomorrow morning. The flight is scheduled to reach
Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 9:15 am local time.
Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel and Bangladesh Ambassador
to Nepal Mashfee Binte Shams will receive the Bangladesh premier at the
airport.
After the reception at the airport, Sheikh Hasina will be escorted to Hotel
Soaltee Crowne Plazza at Tahachal Marg in a ceremonial motorcade where she
will be staying during her visit to Nepal.
On the first day of her visit, the Prime Minister will call on Nepalese
President Bidya Devi Bhandari at Sheetal Nibash, the Presidential Palace, in
the capital city.
She will also attend a banquet luncheon there to be hosted by the Nepalese
President before formal inauguration of the summit.
Sheikh Hasina and other leaders will also join a gala dinner to be hosted
by Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the city’s Hyatt Regency Hotel in
the evening on that day.
She will return home on Friday noon.
Initially, the economic bloc was formed with four Member States with the
acronym ‘BIST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic
Cooperation) in 1997.
Following the inclusion of Myanmar on December 22, 1997 during a special
Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ (Bangladesh,
India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th Ministerial Meeting
(February 2004, Thailand), the name of the group was changed to ‘Bay of
Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’
(BIMSTEC).
The objective of building such an alliance was to harness shared and
accelerated growth through mutual cooperation in different areas of common
interests by mitigating the onslaught of globalisation and utilising regional
resources and geographical advantages.
BSS/ASG/TA/MRI/1442 hrs