“Bangladesh in International Peacebuilding: Experience from Japan”

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in collaboration with the

Japan Foundation organised a two-day International Conference on Bangladesh in International

Peacebuilding: Experience from Japan on 12-13 August 2018 at BIISS auditorium. The Conference

was divided into six sessions. Dr Dipu Moni, MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has graced the occasion as the Chief Guest while, H E Mr Hiroyasu Izumi,

Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh was the Special Guest at the inaugural session of the

Conference. Major General A K M Abdur Rahman, ndc, psc, Director General, BIISS, delivered the

Welcome Address. Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Chairman, Board of Governors, BIISS, chaired

the inaugural session. Other session Chairs are Mr Md Shahidul Haque, Foreign Secretary,

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Ms Mia Seppo, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr

Truls Julian Jaeger-Synnevaag, Deputy Head of Mission, The Royal Norwegian Embassy, Lt Gen

(Retd) Md Mainul Islam Former Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army and Ambassador

Muhammad Zamir, Commissioner, OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission and

Former Chief Information Commissioner of Bangladesh.

Eleven presentations were delivered in different sessions of the International Conference. The

presenters are Professor Dr Hideaki Shinoda, Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center, Japan, Professor Dr

Mari Katayanagi, Hiroshima University, Japan, Mr Shahab Enam Khan, Associate Professor,

Department of International Relations, Jahangirnagar University, Dr Zahid ul Arefin Choudhury,

Associate Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Dhaka, Professor Dr

Imtiaz Ahmed, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Dr Peter Wallensteen,

Senior Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Mr Nazmul

Arifeen, Research Fellow, BIISS and Mr A S M Tarek Hassan Semul, Research Officer, BIISS,

Professor Dr Rashed Uz Zaman, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Mr

Monirul Islam, BPM, PPM, Additional Commissioner, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime,

Director General of BIISS Major General A K M Abdur Rahman, ndc, psc, and Lt Gen (Retd) Sabbir

Ahmed Former Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army.

In different sessions of the two-day conference distinguished speakers noted that Bangladesh

remains one of the top contributors to the UN peacebuilding efforts, and the country’s peace-related

activities have expanded over the years to include civilian participation facilitating institution building in

the post-conflict states. Given the depth and breadth of the problem, peacebuilding has been included

in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Target of SDG 16 calls for promoting “peaceful and

inclusive societies for sustainable development”. Achieving this target is a massive undertaking that

demands close cooperation between nations. As a peace-loving and responsible international actor,

Japan contributes enormously to international peacebuilding endeavours. It has actively engaged in

addressing various issues and challenges confronting the global community. As the country has played

an instrumental role in international peacebuilding, speakers opined that both Bangladesh and Japan

will immensely benefit from sharing experience.

Senior officials from different ministries of Bangladesh, representatives from different organisations,

ambassadors and high commissioners, media, academia, researchers, teachers and students from

various universities participated in the open discussion sessions and raised their valuable questions,

opinions and observations on the topic.