Bangladesh will host the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Dhaka on May 12-13, said foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin on Thursday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the conference at a city hotel on May 12, she told reporters at a weekly media briefing.
The prime minister will also host a dinner in honour of the guests who will participate in the conference.
The sixth edition of the conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh.
With the theme of “Peace, Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future,” the conference would bring together a luminary gathering of key stakeholders to chart the road map for strengthening the Indian Ocean region.
The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) was started in 2016 and in the last six years, it has emerged as the "flagship consultative forum" for countries in the region over regional affairs.
The conference endeavours to bring critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
The first edition of the conference was held in Singapore in 2016.
It was attended by over 300 delegates from 22 countries, including ministers, political leaders, diplomats, strategic thinkers, academics, and media.
The second IOC was hosted in 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was attended by representatives from over 40 countries.
The third IOC was hosted in 2018 in Hanoi, Vietnam, and was attended by delegates from 44 countries.
The fourth edition of the IOC was hosted in Maldives in 2019 and was addressed by speakers from 36 countries and attended by delegates from 40 countries.
The fifth edition of the IOC was organised in 2021 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and was addressed by 37 speakers from 21 countries.
Dhaka, Tokyo likely to sign 8-10 deals, MoUs
Bangladesh and Japan are likely to sign 8-10 agreements and MoUs during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to Japan as the two countries are willing to take the bilateral relations to a new height.
"There's a possibility to sign 8-10 deals and MoUs. We will inform you further through a separate briefing," foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters in a weekly briefing.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be on an official visit to Japan from April 25 to 28, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
Both the governments of Bangladesh and Japan hope that this visit will further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.
Japan wants to elevate the bilateral ties with Bangladesh to a "strategic" level, adding more elements like defence and security areas to the growing relations, says a diplomatic source.
The two countries now have a comprehensive partnership, and Japan intends to elevate it.
This will be the sixth visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan. Earlier, the prime minister visited Japan in 1997, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2019.
During her stay in Japan, the prime minister will be received by the emperor of Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio will hold a summit meeting with the Bangladesh prime minister and then host a working dinner in her honour.
During the visit, Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to attend an investment summit and a community reception along with a few bilateral meetings.
She will also hand over the “Friends of Liberation War Honour” to a few Japanese nationals, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
