Regional and International Cooperation

1. SAARC:

  1. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was formed by the initiative of Bangladesh. Founder member countries of this association are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India and Srilanka. In April 2007, Afghanistan joined as 8th member of this association.
  2. Among the SAARC member countries, Bangladesh is surrounded by India in three sides. Bhutan and Nepal are the nearer neighboring countries of Bangladesh. Among the SAARC member countries, exportable surplus energy can be shared through mutual cooperation. Energy can also be jointly imported from South East Asian Countries or from Central Asia (including Iran) and be shared according to need and equitable participation.
  3. Refining facilities for Petroleum can also be developed jointly and shared among the member countries.
  4. Bhutan and Nepal have enormous Hydro-electric potential, which can jointly be tapped/ developed and be shared among the neighboring countries.
  5. Using SAARC platform, the members especially neighbors can be immensely benefited. Bangladesh would try its best to promote in harnessing the above-mentioned potentialities.

2. BIMSTEC:

  1. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi–Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was formed in 1997. The members of this cooperation are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Srilanka.
  2. Aims and purposes of BIMSTEC are to create environment for rapid economic development, accelerate social progress, promote active collaboration and mutual cooperation of common interest etc. within the member countries. Geographical position of Bangladesh is unique among the BIMSTEC countries. Like Nepal and Bhutan of SAARC, Myanmar has also enormous Hydro-electric potential, which can jointly be tapped/ developed and be shared in the BIMSTEC region .
  3. Besides India, Myanmar has also border with Bangladesh. As most of the member countries of SAARC are also the members of BIMSTEC and closer neighbors of Bangladesh so Bangladesh could play a vital role to bridge between BIMSTEC and SAARC member countries for sharing exportable surplus energy.