The fifth edition of the international conference, the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026, will begin in Dhaka on Saturday.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the three-day conference, being organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.

The conference will bring together more than 200 speakers, over 300 delegates, and more than 1,000 participants from over 100 countries

Participants include former and present heads of state, ministers, diplomats, military experts, academics, researchers, journalists, business and investment leaders, human rights defenders, technology specialists, and representatives of international development organisations.

CGS President Zillur Rahman formally announced the commencement of the conference at a media exchange held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon on Friday morning.

“The Bay of Bengal is becoming increasingly important in the context of maritime security and regional geopolitics. As a vital link between South Asia and Southeast Asia, one of the key objectives of this initiative is to explore effective solutions to the challenges and opportunities rooted in the Bay,” he said.

Zillur said this year’s discussions will focus on geopolitics, security, trust, climate change, spirituality, and humanity.

He said CGS has already expanded its activities to the United States and plans to extend its presence to Brussels and Dubai in the future.

CGS Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi highlighted the strategic relevance of the region, saying: “The Bay of Bengal Conversation is South Asia’s largest privately organised international geopolitical conference. Over the years, it has grown in scale while continuing to bring difficult and sensitive issues to the centre of discussion.”

Also present at the media exchange were CGS Director Subir Das, Research Assistant Tasfia Rahman, and other members of CGS.