PM Tarique set to inaugurate Bay of Bengal Conversation in Dhaka tomorrow

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to inaugurate the fifth edition of the 'Bay of Bengal Conversation' in Dhaka tomorrow.

Organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), the three-day international forum will be held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon from October 3 to 5.

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The event is expected to bring together around 200 speakers, 300 delegates and more than 1,000 participants from over 100 countries.

Notable attendees include former Serbian president Boris Tadić, former Malian prime minister Moussa Mara and former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed. They will join former heads of state, ministers, diplomats, researchers, journalists and civil society representatives.

This year's theme is “Fragments, Frontiers and Futures”, with the tagline “Navigating Power, Technology and Trust in a World Rewritten”. The theme reflects deepening geopolitical divisions, technological shifts, changing trade relationships and growing climate pressures.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon today, CGS President Zillur Rahman and Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi outlined the forum's vision of establishing Dhaka as a centre for serious, independent global dialogue.

“Five years ago, the Bay of Bengal Conversation was an experiment; today, it is becoming an institution,” Zillur said.

Highlighting the independent and non-partisan nature of CGS, he also announced the think tank's growing international ambitions. Having already established CGS USA in Washington, DC, the organisation plans to expand its institutional footprint to Brussels and Dubai in the coming years.

Regarding the participation of distinguished foreign guests and policymakers, Zillur, also a noted talk show host, said, “We want them to come because this is a place where serious ideas can be discussed openly, where they can meet people they would not usually meet, and where they can hear perspectives they might otherwise miss.”

Speaking on the programme's structure, he added that the event is divided into public sessions, including plenaries, leadership forums and spotlight talks, as well as smaller, invitation-only roundtables for in-depth discussions.

Apart from accredited journalists, only registered individuals will have access to the venue. However, all public sessions will be broadcast live on CGS's digital platforms for the general public, he added.