Combined efforts by countries to establish good connectivity has opened new avenues of cooperation in Central Asia and South Asia, according to Mr. AK Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh. Mr. Momen was speaking at the plenary session of the conference "Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity—Challenges and Opportunities," held on 16 July 2021 at Congress Hall in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Mr. Momen noted Bangladesh's efforts to boost connectivity with Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Myanmar through the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He said the conference was timely as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic requires countries to expand regional cooperation and coordinate efforts to respond to the pandemic.

Cultural and civil bonds through education, tourism, and cultural exchange have served as foundation for people-to-people relations and can be established by road and air in the Central and South Asian regions, according to Mr. Momen.

Bangladesh is engaged in regional transport connectivity projects through road, rail, and sea. In 2015, Bangladesh signed a motor vehicles agreement with Bhutan, Nepal, and India to facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo.