He has also requested for a transformation of the seven-nation BIMSTEC grouping, which includes Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand, from South Asia and Southeast Asia into a more dynamic organization. This appeal was made during the 16th BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kathmandu, chaired by Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali. Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali highlighted the progress made since the previous BIMSTEC meetings and reiterated Bangladesh's dedication to cooperation within the organization. He urged BIMSTEC foreign ministers to assess the organization's structure and enhance the Secretariat, with a focus on cooperation in key areas like connectivity, energy, poverty alleviation, climate change, and people-to-people contact. Bangladesh emphasized the importance of concluding the BIMSTEC Free Trade Area and its associated MoUs and protocols for prompt implementation. The meeting also confirmed the agenda for the upcoming summit, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend in Kathmandu starting Thursday morning.