‘Bay of Bengal resources to be tapped in environment-friendly way’

State minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh is looking to benefit from the resources of the Bay of Bengal in an environmentally-friendly manner, reports UNB.

He made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at a conference titled ‘Inspired by Bangabandhu’s Vision of Regional and Global Peace: Envisaging Regional Peace and Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal’.

The conference was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) on Tuesday at the IUB auditorium in Dhaka.

The event was a curtain-raiser for the World Peace Conference to be held from 4 to 6 December, 2021 to highlight and carry forward the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on world peace.

The state minister said Bangladesh needs to invest in knowledge, develop marine sector skills, and encourage innovation and business for the production of clean energy and development of new sustainable industries in fields as diverse as bio-tech and aquaculture.

In a video message, prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor Gowher Rizvi said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dream to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ was predicated on ensuring a regional and global environment of peace.

“Towards this end, he articulated in his foreign policy the cardinal principle of friendship to all, malice towards none,” he said.

IUB Vice-Chancellor Tanweer Hasan said IUB has embraced the government’s agenda of inclusion of all in education irrespective of gender, socio-economic and religious background.

“We are a campus that promotes diversity. And that is how we believe we are helping to fulfil the dreams of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought for peace, harmony and equal rights for all people.”