Bay of Bengal emerges as central theatre in contemporary Indo-Pacific Strategy: Muniruzzaman
Bay of Bengal Takes Centre Stage in BIMSTEC Security Debate
Bdbusinessdaily.com – The Bay of Bengal is becoming increasingly important to the wider Indo-Pacific strategic landscape, with the security and economic fortunes of countries around its shores more closely linked than ever. That was the central message at a Dhaka roundtable hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and the BIMSTEC Secretariat on 15 September.
Maj Gen (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, president of BIPSS, jointly chaired the discussion with BIMSTEC Secretary-General Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey. The event, held at the BIMSTEC Secretariat, examined how the organisation can strengthen cooperation on security as it moves toward its 30th anniversary.
The Bay of Bengal is no longer viewed merely as a regional body of water connecting South and Southeast Asia,
Muniruzzaman said, stressing that the wellbeing, stability and prosperity of more than 1.8 billion people in the surrounding region are closely connected. His remarks placed the Bay at the heart of contemporary Indo-Pacific thinking, where maritime routes, regional trade, climate risks and transnational threats increasingly overlap.
Security and Development Are Closely Connected
The roundtable, titled “Strengthening the BIMSTEC Security Pillar: Progress, Challenges and the Way Forward,” brought together diplomats, ambassadors, academics, researchers, security specialists and policymakers. Participants considered both the advances made under BIMSTEC’s security framework and the gaps that still need to be addressed.
BIMSTEC connects countries around the Bay of Bengal and serves as a platform for cooperation between South and Southeast Asia. Its security agenda has gained added importance as member states confront challenges that do not remain within national borders. Terrorism, organised crime, illicit financial activity, cyber threats, maritime insecurity, disasters and climate-related pressures can all affect several countries at once.
Ambassador Pandey opened the programme with an overview of the organisation’s security architecture and its recent work. He outlined the activities of the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime, including its five specialised sub-groups. He also referred to annual meetings involving national security advisers from BIMSTEC countries.
The Secretary-General highlighted preparations for the first BIMSTEC maritime security exercise, expected later this year. Such an initiative carries practical importance because the Bay of Bengal is a shared maritime space where improved awareness and coordination can help countries respond more effectively to common concerns.
Pandey also noted emerging cooperation arrangements in cybersecurity and anti-money laundering. Another proposal discussed was the Himalayan Science Council, reflecting the fact that environmental and scientific issues can have security consequences across the broader BIMSTEC area.
Call for Measurable Action
Dr Rashed Uz Zaman, a professor in the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, delivered the keynote address. He described the strategic scale of the BIMSTEC region, which contains nearly one-quarter of the world’s population and has a combined gross domestic product of more than US$5 trillion.
Dr Zaman argued that regional threats should no longer be treated as separate national problems. Instead, the growing connections among security challenges require shared planning and stronger operational capability.
Institutions are not automatically capable. Plans are not automatically operations,
he said, urging BIMSTEC to turn declarations and commitments into results that can be tracked and assessed.
His proposed agenda included a BIMSTEC Security Roadmap 2030 with clear timelines. He also called for completion of the legal and operational arrangements needed for regional action, including pending agreements concerning extradition and mutual legal assistance.
Among his other recommendations was a federated Security Coordination Network connecting national intelligence and law-enforcement bodies. Rather than replacing national institutions, such a mechanism could support communication and cooperation when threats affect multiple member states.
Dr Zaman additionally proposed a Maritime Resilience Package, a Cyber and Financial-Crime Compact, and a wider approach that gives equal attention to human security and climate security. These priorities recognise that regional stability is influenced not only by conventional defence concerns but also by the ability of societies to withstand disasters, economic disruption and environmental stress.
Climate, Maritime and Cyber Priorities
An open discussion followed the keynote presentation, moderated by Muniruzzaman. Participants repeatedly returned to the need for coordination across sectors and for a balance between BIMSTEC’s development goals and its security agenda.
Institutional intelligence-sharing was identified as a major requirement. Participants also emphasised stronger maritime cooperation and better integrated maritime domain awareness. In a region dependent on sea routes for trade and connectivity, timely knowledge of developments at sea can support safer navigation, more effective responses and closer regional confidence-building.
Climate-related security risks also received significant attention, particularly following the disaster in Nepal. The discussion underscored that natural hazards can quickly create humanitarian, economic and governance pressures that extend beyond the country directly affected.
In closing, Shafqat Munir, senior research fellow at BIPSS, said BIMSTEC should concentrate on a set of core priorities. He pointed to the need for formal systems to exchange information and intelligence on major threats, expanded maritime awareness, stronger cybersecurity and practical tools to address security challenges arising from climate change.
He also stressed the value of defence diplomacy and dialogue at both Track 1.5 and Track 2 levels under the BIMSTEC framework. These forms of engagement can bring officials, experts and researchers into sustained conversation, helping develop ideas and confidence alongside formal government processes.
As BIMSTEC approaches three decades of regional engagement, the Dhaka discussion highlighted a clear challenge: security cooperation will need to become more coordinated, practical and measurable if the organisation is to match the growing strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal.
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