BIPSS-German International Seminar “The Changing Strategic Landscape: New Challenges and Realities”

International Seminar on he Changing Strategic Landscape: New Challenges and Realities organized by Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka at Hotel Radisson, on 28 January 2008.

Adviser for the Education and Commerce Ministry, Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman pointed new Strategic issues emerging in Asia and around the globe would bring both threats and opportunities for Bangladesh. Speaking as Chief Guest at the International Seminar on he Changing Strategic Landscape: New Challenges and Realities organized by Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka at Hotel Radisson, on 28 January 2008..

Dr. Zillur identified some key aspects like quality professional combined with deep insight and excellence; culture bound social values united with cohesive and moral values to deal with the new threats and landmarks that emerged in the strategic environment in recent years. He emphasized on non-traditional interactions apart from traditional hard and soft power to enhance international cooperation. He hoped that BIPSS will arrange such kinds of Seminar and Dialogue to understand the fast changing world that become too complex in future.

Presided over by BIPSS President, Major General A N M Muniruzzaman, the inaugural session was also addressed by Mr. Frank Meyke, German ambassador in Dhaka. General Muniruzzaman indicated that the rise of major power is a strategic reality now. The peaceful rise of China and the rise of India are of historic proportion. It is also a reality that the nature of uni-polarity is not permanent as there are clear symptoms of the growth of multi-polarity in the global strategic landscape. He said that Bangladesh is positioned between two of the World’s largest growing economies and rising powers. Therefore it is very important to understand and comprehend the changes that are emerging in the world arena.

Mr. Frank Meyke pointed out that the excellence and comprehensive cooperation with Bangladesh is increasing in recent years and that will be enhanced in future.

He mentioned that, development cooperation and the economic sector as two strong pillars of German-Bangladesh relations. Germany is now intended to extend and initiate dialogue and joint activities for knowledge sharing among the educated and think tank stratum in Bangladesh. Moreover he expressed his willingness to extensive cultural exchange between Bangladesh and Germany in future.

The Seminar was followed by a working session consisted of three keynote papers where Dr. Wilfred von Bredow, Professor, Institute of Political Science, Phillips-University Marburg, Germany presented his keynote paper on The Changing International Security Landscape and the Challenge for National and Regional Security Policy. In his paper he pointed that the concept of strategy focuses not only on the military threats originating from states, but also on other causes of conflict: Poverty and large-scale misery, environmental destruction, violence justified by ethnicity and religion.

Dr. Sayed Mahmud Ali, Senior Editorial Coordinator, Asia Pacific Region, BBC, London presented his paper on Post-Cold War Great Power Security Dynamics in the Asia Pacific Region. Dr. Ali pointed out that the great powers involvement in Asia Pacific region is combined with both military preparation and peaceful cooperation. Former Ambassador and Secretary Muhammad Zamir in his paper on Key Global Transformation and Strategic Implications said that we should play more important role to cope up with the new transformations that have enormous strategic implications in present time.