Occasional Dhaka-Delhi tensions hinder regional cooperation: ICCB

Business Desk :

International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB) has said Bangladesh, as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), needs to focus on boosting trade among member countries.
“In Bangladesh, political uncertainty and occasional tensions with India hinder regional cooperation,” said the leading chamber on Sunday, pointing out that Bimstec still faces major challenges despite 25 years of operation and the key transport projects are delayed, reports UNB.
At the 6th Summit, Bangladesh assumed the chairmanship for the 2025-27 term and the ICCB said this provides Bangladesh with a stronger voice, not just in Bimstec but also in broader regional politics.
This leadership role, the chamber said, allows Bangladesh to push forward the implementation of the Bangkok Vision 2030, helping both Bangladesh and the wider region to work more closely together. The ICCB said trade between Bimstec countries is still relatively low – only about 7% of their total trade happens within the group. In comparison, Asean countries trade about 25% with each other.