Dhaka, Aug 28: Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has called for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to enhance regional economic cooperation. His comments came during a meeting with Pakistan’s High Commissioner Syed Ahmed Maroof, who underscored the need to strengthen trade, economic ties, and people-to-people connections between the two nations.
SAARC has been largely inactive since November 2016, when India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Bhutan withdrew from a summit scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. In the absence of SAARC’s activities, India has pursued regional cooperation through alternative platforms like Bimstec.
Yunus emphasized that SAARC could serve as a model of cooperation akin to the European Union, stressing the importance of working together for mutual benefits.
In his meeting with Maroof, Yunus also addressed the need for improved bilateral relations and greater engagement through existing mechanisms. Maroof expressed Pakistan’s readiness to assist Bangladesh in response to recent flood damages and advocated for eased visa procedures and direct flights between the two countries.
Additionally, Yunus met with Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Mantytsky, who reaffirmed Russia’s support for Bangladesh in international forums. They discussed the Rooppur nuclear power plant, which is nearing completion with Russian assistance. Yunus urged Russia to diversify its imports from Bangladesh beyond the current focus on readymade garments.
Mantytsky highlighted Russia’s significant role in supplying food grains and fertilizers to Bangladesh and noted ongoing interest in exploring gas wells on Bhola island and possibly exporting LNG to Bangladesh.