The Indo-Bangla bilateral relationship has reached a critical juncture amid changes in geopolitics and global trade and investment situation along with domestic politics, speakers told a programme.
They believe the relations between the two neighbours must be strengthened in the coming years beyond economy and politics focusing more on finding new avenues.
The views were shared at a dialogue styled 'India-Bangladesh Relations: Outlook 2023 and Beyond' at the Syndicate Hall of North-South University (NSU) on Wednesday afternoon.
The speakers, who included academicians, think-tanks and diplomats, laid stress on people-to-people connectivity and finding scope for new avenues of triangular ties to get the benefits of skills and resources and investment in the BIMSTEC region.
South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG), NSU, and South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) hosted the dialogue with NSU vice-chancellor Prof Atiqul Islam in the chair.
Ambassadors Farooq Sobhan and Shahidul Haque, SIPG professorial fellow Dr Prabir De, Asian Confluence, India East Asia Centre executive director Sabyasachi Dutta, Prof Dr Imtiaz Ahmed and Prof Dr Amena Mohsin of Dhaka University, among others, spoke.
The experts said the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries would minimise internal differences and fast-track implementation of regional integration initiatives with a more liberal and broader global outlook to lift millions out of poverty in the region.
Bangladesh is the gateway to regional connectivity and it must leverage strategic advantages to generate meaningful business, economic and political outcomes for greater benefits of the people in the region, especially of the North-East Indian States, they said.
Referring to the rapidly evolving geo-strategic situation, they underscored the need to improve BIMSTEC countries' perception by respecting each other's values in dealing with bilateral and regional interactions.
"China's role at regional and international levels needs to be considered for the region's greater interests," it was observed.
Mr Sobhan recognised the importance of improving mutual public perceptions by setting up cultural centres across the region and engaging youth to provide them hope for a better future.
Mr Haque said the world is going through a volatile situation in both security and business prospective.
Therefore, collaborative relationship between India and Bangladesh will transform BIMSTEC in to more effective for member countries, he cited.
Mr Prabir suggested a tripartite relationship involving India, Bangladesh and Japan to move forward with regional integration.
Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) president Saiful Islam called for removing non-tariff barriers in trade and business between the two countries keeping in mind the north-east Indian region.
He highlighted the need for developing more people-oriented and business-friendly environment for mutual interests.
Currency exchange-related complexity must be resolved, Mr Islam observed.
In his remarks, the NSU VC suggested bringing people in the region closer through cultural exchanges.
