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The webinar on the theme “Bangladesh - India Relations: New Dimensions and Opportunities, Perspectives in the Third Space “ is proposed as a run up event to the Summit meeting between the two Prime Ministers to be held on December 17 2020. It aims to engage in the “Third Space” targeting the think tanks, civil society, academia and practitioners communities in both countries to express the importance of further exploring and actively working on new avenues of India Bangladesh cooperation.

In the last few years, a lot of constructive developments have happened between the two neighbors in terms of enhanced multimodal connectivity, e-connectivity, trade and people to people exchange. Bangladesh and India bilateral cooperation have scaled new heights under the present leadership of the two nations. The importance of furthering cooperation between the north-eastern states of India and bordering districts of Bangladesh have gained momentum amongst stakeholders on both sides of the border and reiterated by the respective governments. Connectivity between North Eastern Indian states and Bangladesh also holds enormous opportunities for other nations such as Nepal and Bhutan to connect to the Bay of Bengal theatre and towards a prosperous Bay of Bengal community. Building on such developments championed by top-down political will on both sides, it has become all the more vital for “third space” beyond the first two of government and business chambers, to engage and reengage in newer ways and forms. An organic bottom up people driven cooperation (facilitated by government and industry), in areas such as education, tourism, health, culture, SMEs, startups, community development at border regions, etc.  between the two nations will further enhance benefic effects of the projects being planned and implemented by the respective governments. Such a synergy between “bottom up” and “top down” efforts would greatly help to take forward the relation ship even further and help to address the challenges that exist by promoting ground level narratives for further cooperation and trust building.

In view of above, this webinar is thus planned as a run- up to the summit level talks between the two nations, taking place at a time when the effects of COVID 19 pandemic gives further space and opportunities to dig deeper into further areas of cooperation. In 2021 Bangladesh will turn 50 and in 2022, India will turn 75 years of their respective independence: milestone years to celebrate, as well as provide a celebratory occasion where the already high relationships can take quantum leaps forward.   

       This webinar would aim to come up with concrete people centric recommendations based on research and survey conducted thus far, for consideration by the policy makers,  as well as highlight the importance of the summit and the importance of the relationship for the peoples at our shared borders, our respective nations and the greater Eastern South Asian neighbourhood as a whole.