Prosperity, security

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the Bimstec member countries to intensify their collective efforts to make the region secure, stable and prosperous one through combating poverty and other challenges.
"I call upon the Bimstec members to extend cooperation in fulfilling our pledge to becoming a secure, stable and prosperous region where all our people will enjoy a life of dignity, security and peace," she said.

Hasina made the remark while delivering her speech at the third Bimstec Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar.
Leaders from other Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) member countries -- India, Bhutan, host Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand -- joined the summit with Myanmar President U Thein Sein in the chair.
Hasina stressed that Bimstec needs to move forward through concerted efforts based on mutual respect and trust for equitable sharing of benefits.
In this globalised world, she said, the Bimstec member countries need to work with collective strength and capabilities in utilising its combined natural endowments for beneficial economic integration and shared prosperity.
Pointing to the growing demand for energy and power, Hasina said, the intensive economic activity would obviously raise the demand for energy, and this would pose a challenge to the efforts to secure a steady supply of energy at affordable prices.
"We will need to adopt sustainable energy development programmes as well as develop regional energy grids and energy markets," she told her audience.
In this connection, Hasina said, the huge untapped energy potentials, particularly the hydropower, would need to be developed on bilateral or trilateral basis for its optimum utilisation through collaborative projects.
The recent experience of cross-border power sharing between Bangladesh and India will help finalise plans covering these efforts, she said.
Hasina stressed the need for mobilising the collective efforts to monitor, and take a unified stand to seriously consider the adverse impacts of climate change.
In the 64th UNGA and every year thereafter, she had called for a legal framework to ensure social, cultural, and economic rehabilitation of climate migrants, she said.
The premier continued: "Sustainable development and reduction of poverty also demand beneficial conservation and development and tapping of water resources in the region. This is also vital for agriculture and food security."
Since the countries of the region are sometimes affected with production shortfall in key cereals, modalities are also needed to be found for the sharing of water resources, especially of the common rivers, she mentioned.
For example, Hasina said, Bangladesh and India are sharing the water of the river Ganges signing the 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, with others to follow soon.
"Bimstec could also explore our potentials in fisheries, livestock and horticulture," she told her audience.
About food security, Hasina said Bimstec should develop an intra-regional food support mechanism to help countries overcome short-term difficulties and develop climate resilient technology to increase agricultural output in the member states.
The premier also said she was happy that Dhaka was chosen for Bimstec's Permanent Secretariat, and thanked all again for the decision.
"We are also waiting to welcome the first Secretary-General meeting in Dhaka. We also thank our friend Thailand for its continued institutional support to Bimstec," she told the summit.
PM RETURNS HOME
Hasina returned home last evening after attending the third Bimstec Summit in Myanmar.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the premier and her entourage left the capital of Myanmar around 8:10 pm (local time) and reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 9:10 pm (local time).
Myanmar Union Minister of Industries Maung Myint and Bangladesh
Ambassador to Myanmar Anup Kumar Chakma saw the premier off at the airport.
Earlier, she was given a guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of Myanmar Armed Forces.