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State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today said SAARC, founded on Bangladesh's diplomatic vision, remains strategically important and can become a key instrument for advancing the country's future under the "Bangladesh First" foreign policy.
"For Bangladesh, this is also where history and the future meet," she said while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled "Rebuilding Trust, Renewing Regional Integration: Pathways for Revitalising SAARC" at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) auditorium here.
The state minister said Bangladesh views SAARC not merely as a regional organisation but as a platform where the country's diplomatic legacy and future aspirations converge.
The state minister said SAARC carries a unique historical significance for Bangladesh as it is the diplomatic legacy of late President Shaheed Ziaur Rahman, whose vision helped place South Asian regional cooperation on the formal international agenda.
"But that legacy is not only a matter of the past; it also speaks directly to Bangladesh's future," she said.
Elaborating on the government's foreign policy priorities, Shama Obaed said the guiding principle of "Bangladesh First" goes far beyond a slogan.
"In our foreign policy, it includes building a neighbourhood that supports Bangladesh's security, trade, climate resilience, food security, connectivity and global standing," she said.
The state minister reaffirmed Bangladesh's unwavering commitment to regional cooperation, saying South Asia possesses enormous human, economic, cultural and strategic potential, but remains one of the least integrated regions in the world due to political fragmentation and weak economic integration.
She said the region has lost valuable opportunities over the past decades as political mistrust, unresolved bilateral disputes and prolonged tensions have prevented SAARC from realising its founding objectives.
"There is no denying that SAARC has faced serious difficulties. The summit process has remained stalled, political trust has been weak, and regional integration has not reached its expected level," she observed.
However, she maintained that the regional organisation remains institutionally relevant as its Charter is still in force, while its Secretariat, specialised bodies, regional centres, legal instruments, technical networks and institutional memory continue to function.
Shama said any meaningful effort to revitalise SAARC must begin with an honest assessment of the challenges confronting the organisation.
She said, besides political obstacles, SAARC also requires stronger implementation capacity, greater financial resources, more effective specialised institutions and a stronger culture of implementation and follow-up.
The state minister said Bangladesh advocates revitalising SAARC through a pragmatic, step-by-step approach by allowing the organisation to function at an "optimal functional level" until the regional political environment becomes conducive to restoring summit-level activities.
She explained that an optimal functional SAARC would involve regular meetings of officials and technical experts, a predictable calendar of activities, stronger specialised institutions, greater cooperation in non-contentious sectors and practical, visible benefits for the people of South Asia.
She also stressed the need for flexible, project-based cooperation among willing member states, saying countries prepared to move forward in specific areas should be allowed to do so while keeping the door open for others to join later.
Referring to Bangladesh's recent diplomatic engagement with SAARC member states, the state minister said she had held separate discussions with all member countries since the present government assumed office nearly four months ago.
"All of them were very positive about the revival of SAARC," she said.
"Now I think it is about time that we turn our wishes into action. The intent has to be actionable."
She called for strengthening the SAARC Development Fund (SDF), saying its governance, leadership and operational capacity should be enhanced to finance impactful regional projects in healthcare, agriculture, climate adaptation, rural development, women-led enterprises and social development.
The state minister also emphasised that SAARC must remain insulated from bilateral political disputes.
Noting that the SAARC Charter already prohibits the discussion of contentious bilateral issues within the organisation, she said this principle should continue to guide regional cooperation.
"The objective should not be to force any two countries into political dialogue through SAARC. Rather, it should be to ensure that bilateral tensions do not paralyse every form of regional cooperation," she said.
On regional architecture, Shama Obaed said Bangladesh does not see SAARC and BIMSTEC as competing organisations.
She said BIMSTEC connects South Asia with the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia, while SAARC remains the broadest platform representing the entire South Asian region.
"These platforms should complement each other, not compete with each other," she said, adding that sub-regional initiatives should serve as building blocks for broader regional cooperation.
Expressing optimism about SAARC's future, the state minister said Bangladesh is considering a calibrated package of confidence-building initiatives in consultation with member states.
These may include engagement with ambassadors and high commissioners of SAARC countries stationed in Dhaka, consultations with the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu on convening a Senior Officials' Meeting, exploring the possibility of holding a special session of the Council of Ministers and broader diplomatic outreach at the highest political level.
"SAARC is waiting for wise leadership, practical cooperation and renewed confidence. Bangladesh is ready to contribute to that confidence," she said.
The seminar was chaired by BIISS Director General Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman, while Ambassador Tariq A. Karim, Adviser to the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies at Independent University, Bangladesh, and Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asia Studies of the National University of Singapore, delivered the keynote presentation.
Professor Dr Niloy Ranjan Biswas of the University of Dhaka and former Additional Foreign Secretary Md Shamsul Haque joined the panel discussion.
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