AI, Democracy Take Centre Stage

Artificial intelligence and the future of governance are taking centre stage alongside democracy, climate security, global trade and journalism as the second day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026 gets underway at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. Five closed-door sessions began simultaneously at 9:45am on Sunday, October 4, bringing together political leaders, diplomats, researchers, economists, policymakers and media professionals to discuss technology, global power shifts, security and the future of the Bay of Bengal region.

At 11am, former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and journalist M. J. Akbar will deliver a strategic address titled “Five Seas, One Gathering Storm” at the Grand Ballroom. At 11:20am, Michael Miller, head of the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, will speak in “The Diplomatic Lens.”

At 11:30am, Indian comedian and executive coach Papa CJ will discuss leadership and communication.

At 12:10pm, the “Who Gets to Lead?” Grand Conversation will focus on women’s leadership in local government. Participants include Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md Sanullah, UN Women Bangladesh Country Representative Gitanjali Singh, former Election Reform Commission member Md Abdul Alim, Jahangirnagar University anthropology professor Rezwana Karim Snigdha and UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative Stephen Rodriques. The session will be moderated by US expert on democratic governance and elections Catherine M. Sicil.

British High Commissioner Sarah Cook will speak at 1:10pm. At 1:20pm, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam will discuss governance in the Catalyst session titled “Do We Know How to Govern?”

Technology and state governance will receive particular attention at 2:30pm in “Who Decides When the Model Decides?” The session will examine the use of artificial intelligence within state institutions. Speakers include Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Special Assistant to the Health Adviser S. M. Ziauddin Haider, UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh Susan Vize, Sri Lanka’s Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala and Nicola Nixon, executive director of the Asia Foundation’s InsightWorks. Kazi Faisal Bin Siraj, country representative of the Asia Foundation in Bangladesh, will moderate the session.

At 3:30pm, former Serbian President Boris Tadic will deliver the Bay of Bengal Lecture titled “Between Power and Principle.” At 3:50pm, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman will speak on “Journalism After the Turning Point.”

The day’s final major session will begin at 4pm. The “Democracy Conversation” Leadership Forum will feature Ashok Sajjanhar, president of India’s Institute of Global Studies; CPD Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya; former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara; former Latvian parliament member Sergejs Potapkins; and former Malaysian minister Zuraida Kamaruddin. Senior Nepali journalist Biswas Baral will moderate the forum.

Politicians, diplomats, researchers, economists, policymakers and media professionals from different countries are participating in this year’s Bay of Bengal Conversation. Sessions are examining shifts in global power, international security, economic transformation, climate change, technology, democracy, governance, and connectivity and trade centred on the Bay of Bengal.

Organised by the Centre for Governance Studies, this is the fifth edition of the Bay of Bengal Conversation. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the three-day international dialogue on Saturday, October 3. This year’s theme is “Fragments, Frontiers, Futures: Navigating Power, Technology and Trust in a World Rewritten.” The conversation will continue through Monday, October 5.
//DBTech/DPO/BPC/MIM//