Stressing on the importance of the Bay of Bengal in linking the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momin said that an effective information exchange network may be considered and agreed by Indo-Pacific states to ensure freedom and safety of navigation.

He was addressing a regional conference on “Connectivity in the Indo-Pacific (Ocean) Reconnecting peoples, facilitating human development for prosperity of all from the Bay of Bengal” held at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).

According to a report in The Dhaka Tribune, he said on Sunday that the move will help overcome overall maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean. 

"We look forward to having a new world with more cooperation and connections for responding to challenges," Momin said.

Wide and dynamic regional cooperation will develop if there is a clear quest for more cultural, economic, political, and even strategic emancipation from the large foreign powers and among regional organizations, he added.

The Indian Ocean, he said, is rich in untapped natural resources, including some of the world’s largest reserves of gas and other seabed minerals. There is also an increasing belief that there are oil reserves.