Bangladesh announces Indo-Pacific Outlook with special emphasis on UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

Bangladesh on Monday announced its 15-point Indo-Pacific Outlook (IPO) envisioning a free, open, peaceful, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific on the eve of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tri-nation visit to Japan, the USA and the UK. India’s IPO would open up scope of partnership with India.

“The Indo-Pacific area’s collective share in global GDP, preponderance in international trade, enhanced climate action and growing technological dynamism can be key determinants for ensuring Bangladesh’s long-term resilience and prosperity,” Bangladesh state minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam said.

The state minister read-out the Bangladesh’s IPO in presence of foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at a briefing at foreign ministry in Dhaka.


He said the IPO was prepared with 15-point objectives following four guiding principles with the first one as – a. “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s foreign policy dictum ‘Friendship towards all, malice toward none’.

According to the text of IPO the three other guiding principles are Constitutional mandate on the conduct of international relations based on the principles of respect for national sovereignty and equality, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of international disputes, as well as respect for international law and the principles enunciated in the United Nations Charter; and striving for renunciation of the use of force in international relations and for general and complete disarmament; Adherence to the relevant UN treaties and international conventions, as applicable, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) & Constructive regional and international cooperation for sustainable development, international peace and security, humanitarian action, and fundamental rights and freedoms.