Regional countries, including Bangladesh, need to remain alert to growing geopolitical competition in the Bay of Bengal and work together to prevent outside powers from turning the region into a zone of conflict, speakers said at a regional dialogue in Dhaka.
They made the remarks on Monday at a session titled “Why the Bay of Bengal Matters to the World” on the final day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026, organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS).
Pradeep K Taneja, senior lecturer in Asian Studies at the University of Melbourne, said the possibility of external powers creating instability in the Bay of Bengal remains a persistent concern.
He said the responsibility largely rests with countries in the region to remain vigilant, stressing that any conflict or disruption would ultimately harm all regional states.
“I believe the people and leaders of Bangladesh are well aware of their national interests,” Taneja said.
Former Pakistani foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhury also highlighted the growing impact of global geopolitical tensions on the Bay of Bengal and the wider Indian Ocean.
He said the Bay of Bengal sits at a strategically important point in the Indian Ocean and warned that developments around major maritime chokepoints could have serious consequences for its littoral countries.
According to Prothom Alo, Chaudhury noted that the Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz are already facing pressure and raised concerns over the possible impact if geopolitical tensions were to disrupt the Strait of Malacca.
He said countries around the Bay of Bengal should cooperate to prevent conflicts elsewhere, particularly in West Asia, from affecting regional stability and maritime trade.
“Our goods are also transported through the Indian Ocean. As a result, keeping this region peaceful and safe for maritime trade is in our shared collective interest,” Chaudhury said.
He also referred to the US strategy in the Indo-Pacific, saying some in China view the policy as an effort to contain Beijing. He noted that changing global trade patterns were also influencing maritime routes connecting Asia and Europe.
The discussion also focused on the economic opportunities created by Bangladesh’s strategic location.
Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Møller said Dhaka could make better use of its position in the Bay of Bengal by expanding cooperation with Denmark and diversifying its export base.
He identified shipbuilding and ship recycling as sectors with significant potential alongside Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry.
Møller said Denmark and Bangladesh maintain close economic ties and noted that Denmark is Bangladesh’s largest export destination on a per capita basis.
He also said Denmark had increased defense spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, resulting in reductions in some areas of development assistance.
John K. Glenn, professorial lecturer at George Washington University, said the existing global order had broken down but cautioned that simply supporting the creation of a new order would not be enough.
He said countries also needed to think carefully about what kind of international system should emerge from the current geopolitical transition.
The three-day Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026 brought together policymakers, diplomats, academics and other experts to discuss the strategic, economic and geopolitical importance of the Bay of Bengal.
The session was held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka ahead of the closing remarks by CGS President Zillur Rahman.
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