BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES


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Research Focus Area 2025

Research Focus Area-1: Geopolitics and Evolving Global Order.      Great power stand-offs, geo-political competition, challenges to unipolarity, and proxy wars are the overarching phenomena of the evolving Global Order. Year 2024, interestingly also happens to be the Election Year with national elections being held in more than 100 countries from around the world including European Union and the global powers viz., the USA, Russia, India, the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Japan, South Korea etc. Results of these elections are expected to be consequential not only for the respective countries but will have significant impact on global geopolitics and strategic environment. With the Asian rise, the geopolitical centre of gravity has moved towards the Indo-Pacific. Geopolitical and strategic outlook and multilateral cooperation will be key aspects for sustained political, security and economic stability in the Indian Ocean region. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of the evolving Global Order. Thus, in-depth research from multifarious angles will be necessary to anticipate coming threats, plan for countering the challenges and make required preparations for the uncharted waters of geopolitical pitfalls ahead of Bangladesh. 

The sub-areas under this are:

  • Indo-Pacific affairs
  • Foreign relations and Policy priorities especially in the context of new governments in almost all the major powers
  • Alliances and Regional Cooperation
  • Post-Revolution: Security, Geopolitics and Development Issues
  • Growth and pattern of ultra-Nationalism

 

Research Focus Area-2: Contemporary Security and Economic Challenges.    The prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, tension in the Indo-Pacific, war and conflict in the Middle East Region engendered threats and security challenges for global peace and stability. All these wars and conflicts have also instigated economic slowdown in recent years. The prolonged shocks disrupted the global supply chain of energy and food grains and, lowered growth rates amplifying financial risks. As anticipated geopolitical risks and severe disharmony in international relations may occur due to regional and global security threats. Bangladesh is not also alienated from the effect of looming global supply shortages, inflationary pressure, and an unstable flow of remittances. The country’s susceptibility to other security-related complexities is evident, due to uncertainties about Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) repatriation, social disturbances, and other pressing issues related to climate, health, transnational crime, and cyber security. Against this backdrop, BIISS is attempting to examine Bangladesh's security and economic-related challenges originating from the ongoing global wars and conflicts replete with security and economic uncertainties.

The sub-areas under this are:

  • Defence and Security Policy and/or Strategy
  • FDMN and CHT issues
  • Cyber security and AI Technology
  • Environmental security
  • LDC graduation
  • Traditional and Non-traditional security
  • Border security issues
  • Transnational Non-Traditional Security (cooperation /collaboration)
  • National and International Dimensions of Equality
  • Ongoing war and conflict

 

Research Focus Area-3: Diplomacy and Negotiation.   The recent wars in Europe and the Middle East region, peace support operations in Africa, trade imbalances, the FDMN crisis, climate change, etc. are of significance to Bangladesh for manoeuvring diplomatic and security involvements; so that it can successfully tap the opportunities from the different bilateral and multilateral arrangements in Regional and Global platform. The research activities under this theme will include but are not limited to exploring effective negotiation strategies, possible ways and potential areas for the country to achieve diplomatic and security leverages and providing appropriate policy suggestions to the government and concerned authorities to address the abovementioned issues and concerns.

The sub-areas under this are:

  • Public Diplomacy
  • Defence Diplomacy
  • Economic Diplomacy
  • Maritime Diplomacy
  • Development Diplomacy
  • Climate Diplomacy
  • Energy Diplomacy