Bengal Delta Conference 2025
The Bengal Delta has a long tradition of being a confluence of land and maritime spaces between South Asia and Southeast Asia, with diverse political, economic, and cultural experiences. As a result, Dhaka has always had the potential to reclaim this rich tradition with its cosmopolitan ethos. A generation has always cherished the dream that Dhaka would flourish as a center of civilizational confluence and a cultural hub of the Bay of Bengal region, where people would come, engage with ideas, create ideas, and offer something to the world. This vision inspired the Dacca Institute of Research and Analytics (daira) to organize the Bengal Delta Conference 2025.
Against this backdrop, the conference adopted the theme “Bangladesh at the Crossroads: Rethinking Politics, Economy, and Geopolitics.” Held on August 29 and 30 at the InterContinental Dhaka, the conference brought together leading academics, policy experts, civil society representatives, and political stakeholders from around the world to engage in meaningful discourse on post-revolution Bangladesh.
In this conference, the inaugural session played a vital role in setting the tone for the entire event. Md. Touhid Hossain, Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, was the Chief Guest of the inaugural session. Dipak Gyawali, Academician of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and former Minister of Water Resources, Nepal; Siddharth Varadarajan, Founder and Editor, The Wire; Prof. Dr. Maszlee bin Malik, Former Minister of Education, Malaysia; Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Dhaka; and Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher, The Daily Star, were the special guests of the conference. Furthermore, Dr. Mushtaq Khan, Professor of Economics, SOAS University of London, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of daira. The session was moderated by Shehreen Amin Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor at the University of Dhaka, who skillfully guided the discussion and maintained its intellectual coherence.
In his opening address, Dr. Mushtaq H. Khan provided the context and background of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 and outlined what DAIRA seeks to convey to the world through this initiative. Reflecting on The Spirit of 2024 and the Birth of daira, he emphasized that “the uprising was not merely political; it was a collective reassertion of dignity, freedom, and justice. Out of that social movement arose new thinkers, activists, and institutions. daira is one of those creations, a space for young Bangladeshis to imagine and shape the future.”
When introducing the idea of the Bengal Delta, Dr. Khan reimagined the history of the collective struggles of the Bangladeshi people, stating that “Bangladesh has a long history of such triumphs against tyranny, from the anti-Ershad movement to the fall of multiple dictatorships. This legacy of defiance is embedded in the very geography and soul of the Bengal Delta, a land of shifting rivers and restless renewal. The delta has shaped not only our politics but also our culture and imagination.”
He then presented the key theme of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 — Rethinking Politics, Economy, and Geopolitics and elaborated on how daira envisions engaging with these critical areas to inspire a new framework for Bangladesh’s future transformation.
After the opening remarks Dr. Maszlee bin Malik delivered his speech Dr. Malik’s speech focused on Bangladesh’s evolving geopolitical and economic position amid global and regional challenges. He highlighted strategic risks including debt-trap concerns under China’s BRI, spillovers from Myanmar’s conflict, and the U.S.–China rivalry. Emphasizing proactive multilateralism, he urged Bangladesh to lead on climate diplomacy, regional security, and economic diversification. His key proposals included creating a Delta Tech & Green Fund, launching an education revolution to build a knowledge-driven economy with gender parity, and grounding governance in justice, compassion, and balance. Dr. Malik concluded that Bangladesh must pioneer participatory democracy and climate-resilient prosperity, redefining its global role.
Another guest Siddharth Varadarajan, Founder-Editor of The Wire, emphasized that Bangladesh’s post-revolution path demands inclusive dialogue and institutional accountability. Drawing parallels with global democratic backsliding, he warned that concentrated wealth breeds authoritarianism and inequality undermines both politics and the economy. Citing B.R. Ambedkar, he argued that equality is not only a moral ideal but the foundation of sustainable democracy and economic vitality. Varadarajan urged Bangladesh to champion regional cooperation and resist the exploitation of religion for political division, invoking Yugoslavia’s collapse as a warning. He concluded that Bangladesh must safeguard unity, equity, and pluralism to realize its democratic transformation.
Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, emphasized the concept of Delta itself giving the importance of developing a “Delta perspective” as a new analytical framework for understanding Bangladesh and its wider region. He noted that despite the Delta’s immense ecological, social, and cultural significance, it remains under-researched, with most studies being narrow and technical. The Deltaic lens, he argued, allows for interdisciplinary exploration and a holistic understanding of human and physical diversity. Linking this approach to the post–July Uprising context, he called for rediscovering Bangladesh through this perspective and commended the conference organizers—especially Dhaka University alumni—for advancing such scholarship.
Following the previous discussion on reimagining Bangladesh, Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher of the Daily Star, reflected on the nation’s recurring struggle between dreaming and building. Drawing on his experience as a freedom fighter, he lamented Bangladesh’s failure to build lasting institutions, particularly Parliament, despite repeatedly winning freedom. He warned that democracy falters when political actors lack democratic values. Urging the youth to focus on institution-building, egalitarian economic reform, and climate resilience, he emphasized that Bangladesh’s future depends on combining youthful energy with experienced guidance. His central message: Bangladesh has always dreamed greatly—now it must learn to build practically and sustainably.
Drawing the attention in regional context Dipak Gyawali, Academician of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and former Minister of Water Resources, described the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 as a historic turning point for South Asia. He argued that the region’s inherited Westminster-style democracy has failed to deliver good governance, urging a rethinking of governance itself. True democracy, he said, must ensure delivery, accountability, responsiveness, and stability. Drawing on his expertise in water management, Gyawali emphasized that climate change is fundamentally a water crisis, citing transboundary failures such as the Ganga and Mahakali treaties. He urged young South Asians to rethink governance and sustainability through cooperation, innovation, and historical reflection, concluding that asking the right questions is the first step toward meaningful regional transformation.
Md. Touhid Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered a reflective and pragmatic closing speech, weaving together themes of geopolitics, politics, and education under a unifying call for institutional renewal. He contextualized Bangladesh’s transformation within a shifting global order marked by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the U.S.–China realignment, and the rise of an emerging “Asian century.” Emphasizing that structural change, not rhetoric, defines progress, he warned that the unresolved Rohingya crisis risks escalating into a wider regional issue. Turning to domestic concerns, he highlighted Bangladesh’s “educational apartheid,” where elite access contrasts with widespread poor-quality schooling, undermining long-term development. He urged reform in education, research, and political culture, stressing that power must serve as a means to nation-building. His thematic message: institutional integrity, inclusive education, and responsible politics are essential for sustaining Bangladesh’s democratic and developmental future.
The inaugural session of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 set a profound and reflective tone, emphasizing the transformative possibilities of post-revolution Bangladesh. Speakers highlighted that the nation now stands at a decisive historical juncture, where rebuilding institutions, ensuring accountable governance, and fostering inclusive development have become urgent imperatives. The discussions called for rethinking politics, economy, and geopolitics through innovative, regionally grounded, and people-centered approaches. Attention was drawn to the importance of education, climate resilience, and equitable growth as the foundations of a just and sustainable society. The session also underscored that Bangladesh’s renewal must extend beyond national borders, embracing regional cooperation and global engagement. Overall, it reaffirmed that the spirit of the revolution should evolve into a long-term vision—anchored in justice, knowledge, and shared responsibility—to transform Bangladesh into a resilient, forward-looking nation within the Bay of Bengal region.