Nothing emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and connectivity like being in the midst of a global pandemic. And for a country like Bangladesh, which is approaching its graduation from being a least developed country to a developing country in the upcoming years, regional connectivity is all the more important.
To that end, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen’s remarks on establishing stronger connections among Central and South Asian nations, made in a recent international conference on regional connectivity, comes as welcome news.
He added that Bangladesh is now working towards initiating more connectivity projects in road, sea, and rail routes, which will no doubt prove to be productive endeavours for all countries involved. Initiatives such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and BBIN are already working towards these goals, with Dhaka often playing a leading role in different projects.
In an increasingly globalized world, it is not only important to go on establishing these connections which provide opportunities to increase international cooperation but also ensure that they are utilized to their full potential. This means following through on projects that are undertaken, and ensuring their implementation and completion, something that Bangladesh often struggles with. Only then can we reap the maximum benefit from these connections.
