C T Online Desk: Indonesian ambassador to Bangladesh Heru H Subolo has suggested ‘broader action plans’ incorporating the best of two countries’ national capacities to strengthen the genuine partnership between two countries to move forward in a better and comprehensive way.
With stable economic growth and a favourable investment climate in Bangladesh, ambassador Subolo thinks, the prospects of trade and investment are ‘open wider’.
‘Bangladesh and Indonesia need to prosper together. Bangladesh and Indonesia essentially need to see themselves as a comprehensive friend and partners,’ he said while delivering keynote speech at the latest episode of Cosmos Dialogue held virtually on Wednesday.
As the two countries celebrate the 50 years of their bilateral relations the ambassador said, it provides the opportunity to strengthen the economic partnership, deepen bilateral trade and digital economic environment, invest in energy power generation and distribution and enhance people to people connect to power their prosperous future together.
The Indonesian envoy who has held several leadership positions in his diplomatic career, said Bangladesh is also a potential market for Indonesia’s strategic and leading industries.
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue titled Bangladesh-Indonesia Relations: Prognosis for the Future’ as part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by Cosmos Foundation Executive Director Nahar Khan. The session was chaired by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, a renowned scholar-diplomat and former advisor on foreign affairs of Bangladesh caretaker government.
Professor at department of international relations, Dhaka University Lailufar Yasmin, Dhaka Courier executive editor Shayan S Khan and honorary advisor emeritus, Cosmos Foundation ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim comprised the panel of discussants. Cosmos Foundation chairman Enayetullah Khan also spoke.
Iftekhar said he has been able to watch Indonesia from a fairly close proximity and it is the largest Muslim majority nation and a key member of the developing eight or D-8 grouping as it is called.
He said he has long admired Indonesia as a ‘free and active’ foreign policy and its leadership role in the ASEAN as Asia Pacific’s largest economy.
Indonesia acts in this region in consonance, with its size and location, but avoiding involvement in big power conflicts or rivalries,’ Iftekhar said.
‘As we evolve our bilateral relations, we also bear in mind that there is an evolution of another set of relationships in the region, which are security focus, and Indonesia has shown the way how we can steer clear of involvement in those big power disputes and develop our bilateral relations in a way that it benefits our nations and peoples,’ he added.
Iftekhar mentioned collaboration across a wide spectrum, such as commerce, politics, defense, and culture.
Sharing his personal observation, Enayetullah Khan said Bangladesh and Indonesia’s ties have been totally underexploited and he hoped that the two countries will definitely look at the opportunities.
‘I feel very encouraged that our ties are based on trust which is the fundamental thing in building relations. That trust we have,’ he said, adding that there could be more exchange of students and more cooperation in green and digital economies.
Khan laid emphasis on taking advantage of Bangladesh’s geographical location and noted that, ‘We have overlooked and underestimated our strength and it is time for us to assert and to act.’
Nahar Khan said the two nations which belong to the Indian Ocean Rim Association are becoming important trade partners.
As the largest economy of Southeast Asia and the second largest economy in South Asia respectively, Indonesia and Bangladesh now enjoy natural opportunities to expand their economic engagement with each other, she said.
