The KRF Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs (CBGA) launched a new Roundtable Discussion Series called Youth Perspectives on Bangladesh and Global Affairs (YPBGA). The Center believes that youth as the future leaders deserve special attention from the society. To transform Bangladesh into a knowledge-based society and a developed nation, an understanding of global affairs is key in today’s world. Youth perspectives are critical in both the knowledge and policy domains of Bangladesh. The Center kicked off the Roundtable discussion series on ” Youth Perspective on Bangladesh-India Summit, 2022 ” at the CBGA Conference & Dialogue Room on Wednesday, 21 September 2022.
Ali Siddiquee (Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, and Adjunct Research Fellow, The KRF Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs (CBGA)), Md. Saddam Hosen (Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU)), Mr. Rubel Molla (Research Fellow, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS)), Saume Saptaparna Nath (Research Associate, The KRF Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs), S. M. Saifee Islam (Research Associate, The KRF Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs) and Mohammad Ashiqul Islam (President, Dhaka University Model United Nations Association (DUMUNA)) were the speakers of the roundtable. Mr. Aynul Islam, KRF CBGA’s Research Director, moderated the session. The session was chaired by Professor Dr. Delwar Hossain, Chair, KRF CBGA. Brig Gen (Rtd.) Hasan Md. Shamsuddin ndc, afwc, psc (Lead Researcher, Rohingya, Myanmar and ASEAN Affairs), KRF CBGA also spoke in the Roundtable. The seminar was also attended by the CBGA faculty members, scholars, and students from different universities. It was held on hybrid platforms.
The roundtable comprehensively covered the recent visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India from 5-8 September 2022 from a youth perspective. Since the youth will be the next baton holder of the policy domain, the Center gave the floor to young researchers and students to share their thoughts on the recent summit. However, while the world is experiencing conflicts on different fronts i.e., the Ukraine War and Taiwan Strait crisis, the surge in commodity prices, disruption in the supply chain, crisis in transportation and transshipment for the economic downturn, disruption in the domain of connectivity and the looming crisis in the semiconductor industry, Bangladesh and India, two of the most advanced economies in the region are coming hand to hand to cooperate by arranging the summit. This carries significance and is a souvenir of the friendship and strong bonding of the two neighbors. Notably, on September 6, Bangladesh and India signed seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and inaugurated five projects, encompassing rail links, bridges, highways, and energy initiatives. Amid the bilateral summit, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed a wide range of issues with her counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi resulting in these MoUs signed on sharing water, railroads, space, science, and the judiciary. Bangladesh is India’s largest trade and development partner in South Asia, according to a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and increasing connectivity and commercial infrastructure at borders will benefit both nations’ economic development.
Read Full Roundtable Series Episode: 01 Report: “Youth Perspective on Bangladesh-India Summit, 2022”
