ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has opened up new arenas of thinking and rethinking about the way the international system has been operating. While the BIMSTEC initiative remains important for Bangladesh, one cannot deny that mutual trust and mutuality of interests are critical variables in making the organisation meaningful. SAARC is a good example of being hostage to the divergent threat perceptions and national interests of its member states. BIMSTEC faces similar challenges. For Bangladesh, the Rohingya refugee issue continues to be a continuous challenge and burden to its already densely populated land and ecosystem. New security challenges have also been added to it. The NRC, though being an internal affair of India, remains a matter of concern for Bangladesh. India and Sri Lanka have their own security interests, which often diverge. The China factor looms large in the region. The chapter examines the security scenario, and argues that BIMSTEC, in order to be meaningful to the people, has to address the rights and security issues that touch our daily lives, refugees, statelessness of the Rohingya population, the gender inequality within the member countries, trans-border drug, terrorism issues and also and perhaps more critically public health issues.
