ainable Blue Economy in an Open and Interconnected Indo-Pacific Region: Japan-Bangladesh Cooperation in Synergizing Latent Potentials Among South & Southeast Asian Bay of Bengal Littoral and Adjacent Countries Overview The Indo-Pacific region, which is home to more than half of the world's population, thriving economies, and diverse ecosystems, is poised to play an increasingly important role in the future of our planet, the global economy, and international relations. Japan’s vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” seeks to ensure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, establishing a free and open order based on the shared values and principles such as the rule of law. Bangladesh, as a nation located in Asia’s epicenter and at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, has become a country of growing focus by the international community, including Japan. For its continuing prosperity, Bangladesh must continue to serve as a facilitator of free marine transit in the Bay of Bengal, located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region and part of the global commons of the ocean. This year (2022), Japan and Bangladesh are celebrating 50 years of bilateral diplomatic relations. Japan has played a pivotal role in the development of Bangladesh since its independence through significant investments in the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B), supporting Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a developed country by 2041. The BIG-B plan aims to improve connectivity between Bangladesh and its neighboring countries Bhutan, Nepal, and India's northeastern region, so that Bangladesh may become an economic hub of the region. Given Bangladesh's significance in the region, Japan benefits from a stable and prosperous Bangladesh, just as Bangladesh requires Japan as a long-term development partner. However, BIG-B, which emphasizes Bay of Bengal-based infrastructure development for economic growth and connectivity with South Asian and littoral countries, does not incorporate blue economy perspectives (marine shipping, renewable energy, fisheries, coastal and marine tourism, marine conservation). Dangers to the Bay of Bengal’s very important but very fragile ecosystem are only now beginning to be understood, and prolonged environmental damage from a combination of climate change and rising traffic from global commerce could increasingly erode economic and political stability in the region. This international conference entitled “Ensuring a Sustainable Blue Economy in an Open and Interconnected Indo-Pacific Region: Japan-Bangladesh Cooperation in Synergizing Latent Potentials among South & Southeast Asian Bay of Bengal Littoral and Adjacent Countries” will be jointly organized by the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBOBS), Independent University Bangladesh, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) on November 27-28, 2022, at Independent University Bangladesh and also streamed online. This conference will examine the potential to integrate blue economy priorities in the BIG-B initiatives, and to gather policymakers, practitioners, and experts to discuss challenges, provide policy guidance, propose future actions for cooperation in the region, and consider a roadmap to support a blue economy that is sustainable for Bangladesh. We look forward to the participation of all those who are interested in marine issues.

*Please register from the form provided below. When registering, please kindly double check the email address provided in the form before submitting.

*After registration, you will receive a temporary registration confirmation email. Please click the registration completion URL in the email within 24 hours of receiving it to finalize your registration.

*Participants will receive an email confirming registration after submitting this form, which will include the URL to access the online livestream for this event (for those participating in-person, please come directly to the venue). If you do not receive this email, please kindly also check the spam email box.

*We look forward to your participation.

Date and time
November 27, 2022, 14:00-16:00 (JST)  17:00-18:30 (JST)
November 28, 2022, 13:00-14:30 (JST)  15:00-16:45 (JST)

Venue
Streamed Online
*The event itself will be held at IUB, so for those joining in person, please also register from the form provided on this page, and refer to the address below. 
IUB-Auditorium, Independent University Bangladesh, Plot 16 Aftab Uddin Ahmed Rd, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh