Dhaka Reaffirms Commitment to Revitalise SAARC

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s firm commitment to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) process, pledging to work closely with member states to advance peace, stability, and shared prosperity across South Asia.

SAARC matters were discussed when the organisation’s Secretary-General Md Golam Sarwar paid a courtesy call on the state minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

During the meeting, the state minister recalled that the concept of regional cooperation in South Asia was first proposed by Bangladesh in the early 1980s by late President Ziaur Rahman. The initiative aimed to improve people’s welfare, enhance quality of life, and strengthen collective self-reliance among neighbouring countries.

As a founding member and host of the first SAARC Summit in December 1985, Bangladesh continues to value the contributions of all member states in maintaining the organisation’s relevance amid changing regional and global realities, she said.

The state minister noted that SAARC remains an important platform for promoting shared regional values and cooperation in key sectors, including trade, investment, connectivity, poverty reduction, energy, climate change, food security, education, public health, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

She emphasised the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms and revitalise SAARC’s activities to better respond to contemporary challenges facing the region.

Reiterating Bangladesh’s longstanding position, Shama Obaed underscored the country’s commitment to the principles enshrined in the SAARC Charter, including sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual benefit for the peoples of all member states.

Officials described the meeting as a constructive exchange focused on renewing regional cooperation and exploring ways to make SAARC more effective in promoting collective development and stability across South Asia.