Young changemakers from across the region gathered in Bangkok for the inaugural “BIMSTEC Young Gen Forum: Where the Future Meets,” a sideline event of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit hosted by Thailand.
Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with TNN World, the forum provided an important opportunity for youth leaders from the seven BIMSTEC member states to connect, exchange visions, and co-create solutions in keeping with the summit’s vision of a “Prosperous, Resilient, and Open (PRO) BIMSTEC.”
The “three zeros” problem of modern civilizations
The forum opened with remarks from senior Thai officials and featured a powerful keynote by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus.
“Unless wealth is shared, you cannot sustain a society,” said Prof. Muhammad Yunus, who currently serves as Chief Advisor of Bangladesh. “If we want to provide service, we will have to go to a new civilisation of three zeros – zero carbon emission, zero waste and zero wealth concentration.”
He called on budding changemakers in the audience to start small, saying, “You cannot change the world in a day…if you want to change, start from your village.”
Seven nations, seven entrepreneurs, seven ideas
The highlight of the forum was two panel discussions showcasing innovative ideas from seven young entrepreneurs representing each BIMSTEC member nation. The first panel on “Innovation & Growth” featured the representatives of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
- Bangladesh: Fahim Uddin Shouvo, Founder and Managing Director of Garbageman Limited, shared his work on circular economy models, which focus on transforming industrial and urban waste into valuable products. His approach demonstrated how green innovation can unlock economic potential while addressing environmental challenges.
- Sri Lanka: Dr. Wasantha Lankathilake, Senior Scientist at Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology, stressed the critical need for entrepreneurs to protect intellectual property and develop ecosystems that support homegrown tech ventures.
- Thailand: Oranuch Lersuwanki, Co-founder and CEO of Techsauce, is widely recognized as a pioneer of the Thai tech startup ecosystem. She emphasized the importance of connectivity, both in logistics and digital infrastructure, arguing that robust cooperation is essential to building regional value chains and making the Bay of Bengal a competitive economic hub.
The second panel on “Sustainability and Human Development” featured representatives of Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
- Bhutan: Sanjok Biswakarma, Operations Manager at dairy processing firm Koufuku International Limited, drew from Bhutan’s unique development philosophy, Gross National Happiness (GNH), to propose business strategies that integrate environmental conservation with economic growth.
- India: Pranav Bajaj is the Co-founder of Medulance Healthcare, India’s first GPS-based platform for fast and reliable first-point medical attention. Bajaj encouraged the next generation to think beyond national borders and collaborate on cross-cutting issues like energy transition and digital security.
- Myanmar: Dr. Yin Min Han, Executive Director at construction firm V-Pile Holdings., Ltd., offered a forward-looking perspective on emerging technologies. She encouraged fellow entrepreneurs to anticipate trends over the next decade and build business models that are agile and future-ready.
- Nepal: Ashlesha Karki, Deputy Managing Director at Hotel Mechi Crown, emphasized the untapped potential of cultural and regional similarities across BIMSTEC. She spoke passionately about opportunities for youth-led startups in creative industries and tourism that celebrate shared heritage.
The forum concluded with a vibrant networking reception, reinforcing connections forged throughout the day. Outcomes from the discussions were presented at the sixth BIMSTEC Summit on April 4th, affirming youth participation as a driving force for regional transformation in the Bay of Bengal.
Paul Rujopakarn 
Teerin Julsawad