CPD's Indo-Bangla strategic dialogue in Delhi from tomorrow

A two-day strategic dialogue of Bangladeshi and Indian think tanks will start in New Delhi tomorrow where they will discuss bilateral issues, including water sharing, multimodal connectivity, coastal shipping, energy and digital connectivity.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the Ananta Aspen Centre in New Delhi are jointly organising the event, the CPD said in a press release.

The dialogue will bring together high-level policymakers, experts and partners from both the countries, it added.

Bilateral cooperation will be explored in areas like monetary cooperation and technology transfer, the press release read.

The evolution of bilateral relations will also be assessed in the context of emerging geo-strategic circumstances.

"It is anticipated that at a time when the two countries stand at important crossroads and are heading towards national elections, the dialogue will be an opportunity to discuss how Indo-Bangladesh bilateral relationship could be reframed and reimagined in a way that meets the aspirations of both the countries and their people."

From the Bangladesh side, the participants include: Fahmida Khatun, executive director of CPD; Debapriya Bhattacharya and Prof Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellows; Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, former election commissioner; Md Shahidul Haque, former senior secretary of the foreign ministry; Prof Amena Mohsin of the international relations department at the Dhaka University; Prof M Tamim of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Shams Mahmud, president of Bangladesh-Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This is a Track-Two (non-government) initiative. This will be the second dialogue under the CPD-Ananta Aspen collaboration, as the first one was held virtually on May 18 last year.

The CPD along with its partners in India over the years has organised 16 such dialogues alternatively in Dhaka and Delhi.