BIMSTEC security heads meet in Dhaka today

National security chiefs of seven South and Southeast Asian countries of BIMSTEC region meet in Dhaka today.

The meeting is aimed at developing a common legal and institutional framework in the BIMSTEC region for countering terrorism, transnational crimes and maritime security threat.

Diplomatic sources said this is the second meeting of the national security chiefs of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

Prime Minister's Security Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique -- assisted by senior officials from home affairs, defence and foreign affairs ministries -- will lead the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting.

Member states of BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The first meeting of the BIMSTEC national security chiefs was held in New Delhi on March 21 in 2017.

During the first meeting, Dhaka proposed to host the second one in Dhaka as terrorism remains the single largest threat to peace and stability in the region.

Officials in Dhaka told The Daily Star yesterday that it is essential to have peace and security in the region for achieving desired cooperation in the region.

Dhaka, the headquarters of the BIMSTEC Secretariat, has noted that its member states face common security challenges and it underlined the necessity of addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges “to harness economic prosperity and human security in the region”.

The member states have also underscored the importance of recognising the Bay of Bengal as a common security space, agreeing to work out collective strategies for common responses.

Diplomatic sources said today's meeting of BIMSTEC security heads will deliberate on common security challenges to address traditional and non-traditional threats and to iron out a collective strategy to harness economic prosperity and human security in the region.

Terror threats to peace and stability in the Bay of Bengal region, extremism and radicalisation, cooperation and coordination among law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies, and enhancing the capacity of the agencies will come up for discussion at the Dhaka meeting.

Strengthening cooperation in ensuring maritime security including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief will receive special attention in the Dhaka meeting, the diplomatic sources also said.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is due to arrive in Dhaka to attend the multilateral meeting.

Adviser Ajit will stay on for another couple of days more meetings with top political leaders and security and counter-terrorism officials of Bangladesh, said diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi.

Our New Delhi correspondent quoting Indian officials reported that Ajit Doval's meeting with Bangladeshi leaders and officials bear significance as Bangladesh is slated to witness parliamentary polls late this year or early next year amid apprehensions of violence.

Responding to the apprehensions, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told reporters in Delhi last week that such a possibility of violence in the run up to the general elections in Bangladesh could not be ruled out. 

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale is also due to pay a two-day visit to Bangladesh in the second week of April to discuss bilateral issues including the long-awaited Teesta water sharing deal, about which the New Delhi is trying to build consensus.