Bangladesh Takes Over Chairmanship of BIMSTEC for Next Two Years

On April 4, 2025, Bangladesh officially became the new Chair of BIMSTEC for the next two years. It received the leadership from Thailand, the previous Chair.

Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, accepted the chairmanship. He said Bangladesh will focus on making BIMSTEC more inclusive (involving everyone) and action-oriented (focused on real results).

What is BIMSTEC?

BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. It is a group of seven countries near the Bay of Bengal. These countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

This group works together to improve trade, economy and regional sites.

The Sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok

The Sixth BIMSTEC Summit was held in Bangkok, Thailand, three years after the previous (virtual) summit in 2022. The theme of the summit was “Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC.”

At the start of the summit, all the leaders of the seven countries took a group photo. Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra gave the welcome speech.

A one-minute silence was held to remember those who died in the recent earthquake on March 28 in Myanmar and Thailand.

Important Declaration Adopted

The leaders of all seven countries made speeches and then adopted two important documents:

• The Bangkok Declaration
• The BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision

These documents give a roadmap for the future. They will help guide BIMSTEC towards sustainable development (growth that lasts) and stronger economic cooperation among the countries.

How Chairmanship Rotates?

The leadership of BIMSTEC changes every two years, based on the alphabetical order of the country names in English. After Thailand, it was Bangladesh’s turn.

A Step towards Regional Unity

Bangladesh now has a big role in leading BIMSTEC and helping the region move forward together. With cooperation and shared goals, the BIMSTEC countries hope to build a stronger and more connected South and Southeast Asia.

Summary of the News