5th Bay of Bengal Conversation begins in Dhaka today

The fifth Bay of Bengal Conversation (BoBC) begins in Dhaka today, bringing together policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, academics, journalists and other experts to discuss geopolitics, security, emerging technologies and the growing strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal region. 
The three-day conference will continue until October 5 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the event and deliver the opening address before participants from Bangladesh and abroad. 
Organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), this year’s conversation is being held under the theme “Fragments, Frontiers, Futures: Navigating Power, Technology and Trust in a World Rewritten”. The programme will feature high-level plenaries, leadership forums, strategic dialogues, fireside conversations, special interviews and a Young Leaders Forum. 
Discussions will cover geopolitics and security, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, trade and connectivity, climate resilience and human security, democracy and governance, and the Bay of Bengal’s growing strategic importance.
The conference will also feature the Prime Minister’s Address, the Bay of Bengal Lecture, Leadership Forums and the annual flagship discussion “Why the Bay Matters to the World”.
Organisers said the 2026 edition will examine major changes in the international order, including geopolitical competition, technological disruption, economic realignment, climate challenges and changing approaches to trust and governance. The forum will also examine the Bay of Bengal’s role as a link between South Asia, Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific. 
The conference is expected to bring together more than 200 speakers and participants from over 100 countries, including current and former heads of state, ministers, diplomats, military experts, academics, researchers, journalists, business leaders, technology specialists and representatives of international organisations. 
CGS President Zillur Rahman announced the conference at a media exchange at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon on Friday.
“The Bay of Bengal is becoming increasingly important in the context of maritime security and regional geopolitics. As a vital link between South Asia and Southeast Asia, one of the key objectives of this initiative is to explore effective solutions to the challenges and opportunities rooted in the Bay,” he said.
Zillur said this year’s discussions would focus on geopolitics, security, trust, climate change, spirituality and humanity. He also said CGS had expanded its activities to the United States and planned to extend its presence to Brussels and Dubai.
CGS Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi said, “The Bay of Bengal Conversation is South Asia’s largest privately organised international geopolitical conference. Over the years, it has grown in scale while continuing to bring difficult and sensitive issues to the centre of discussion.”
CGS Director Subir Das, Research Assistant Tasfia Rahman and other members of the organisation were also present at the media exchange.