Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday discussed possible ways to revitalise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and strengthen Bangladesh’s proactive engagement within the regional bloc during a meeting with SAARC Secretary General Md Golam Sarwar.
The discussion took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the secretary general paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister in the afternoon.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Golam Sarwar said SAARC had been included in the election manifesto of the current government, indicating renewed political interest in reinvigorating regional cooperation.
He noted that the new administration is giving special importance to SAARC-related matters.
“I met the foreign minister and provided him with a detailed overview of SAARC,” Golam Sarwar said, adding that he apprised the minister of the organisation’s current status, ongoing initiatives and operational challenges.
According to the secretary general, the foreign minister sought views on how SAARC could be made more effective in the present context. Discussions focused on practical measures Bangladesh could take to assume a more active and leading role within the regional framework.
When asked about the possibility of holding a SAARC Summit, Golam Sarwar said the issue was discussed during the meeting, though he did not elaborate further.
Earlier on Monday, the SAARC Secretary General also met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the foreign ministry to exchange views on regional cooperation.
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