DHAKA, March 3, 2024 (BSS) - A five-day exchange programme participating by faculties of foreign service academies of the BIMSTEC member states began today in the capital for the first time.

During the exchange programme, diplomats of the BIMSTEC member countries will present proposals on ways to increase mutual cooperation among the Foreign Service training institutions of the South and South East Asian sub-regional platform.
 
Thirteen faculties of Foreign Service academies from seven BIMSTEC countries are taking part at the programme, a foreign ministry's press release said.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of the seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand - those are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy rector Ambassador Mashfi Binte Shams, BIMSTEC Secretariat director Mahishini Colonne, foreign ministry's SAARC and BIMSTEC Wing director general Ambassador Abdul Motaleb Sarkar spoke at the opening ceremony of the programme.

As part of improving training capabilities of the member nations, the BIMSTEC countries will organise short courses for officials to expand overall cooperation, said the release.