Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today
stressed on the tangible, and result-oriented cooperation among BIMSTEC
member states specially through effective implementation of the BIMSTEC Free
Trade Area (FTA) enhancing intra-regional trade.
He made the remark while leading the Bangladesh delegation in the 20th
BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting held today in Bangkok, Thailand, said a foreign
ministry's press release here.
Foreign ministers of all BIMSTEC seven member countries participated at the
ministerial meeting one day ahead of the Sixth BIMSTEC summit.
Earlier in the morning, the Foreign Ministers signed the Agreement on BIMSTEC
Maritime Transport Cooperation marking a significant step towards enhancing
regional connectivity.
Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser, in his statement, highlighted
Bangladesh's commitment to ensuring collective peace, progress and prosperity
through a shared BIMSTEC vision.
He raised the issue of 1.2 million Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh and
stressed on creating a conducive atmosphere in Myanmar for the return of the
Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) to their land with rights and
security.
At the meeting, BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers also finalized the draft
Provisional Agenda for the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit and the draft of the Summit
Declaration, which will be considered at the upcoming summit scheduled to be
held tomorrow.
The BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers agreed to hold the 21st BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting in Dhaka.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the report of 20th BIMSTEC
Ministerial Meeting.
Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to attend the Sixth
BIMSTEC Summit of Heads of State/Governments in Bangkok on Friday.