Dhaka yesterday called for making Saarc more effective to enable it to tackle the major regional and global problems like food security, trade, energy and climate change.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the call while addressing the first session of the Saarc Council of Ministers in the Sri Lankan capital.
The foreign adviser stressed the need for continued focus on poverty alleviation within the broad context of social development.
He made the statement on food security that is to be issued by the heads of government in Saarc. He also called for making Saarc Food Bank operational immediately.
Iftekhar described the South Asian Free Trade Area as a “vehicle of progress in trade and investment” and asked for the removal of all non -tariff barriers that impeded intra-Saarc trade and posed difficulties for least developed country members of the grouping.
The adviser laid emphasis on a holistic approach to climate change and the need to adopt cooperative measures to reduce the impact of natural disasters and help the member-countries adapt to the changes.
On security, he urged on the need for a comprehensive regional strategy.
Given the fact that the Saarc region provides the preponderant proportion of UN peacekeepers and given that there are already bilateral contacts among the militaries,. Iftekhar proposed a structure of collaboration within the Saarc umbrella of meetings and collaboration of senior military officers of the region.
He also emphasised the need to give the ownership of Saarc to the people of the region so that the organisation truly becomes a “people’s Saarc”.
Earlier, the chairmanship of the council was transferred from to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitatha Bogollagama.
During a bilateral meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the sidelines of the Council of Ministers, Iftekhar urged Pranab to inquire into recent border shooting incidents as 125 Bangladeshis have been killed by the BSF personnel in the last six months.
Talking to the reporters after the meeting, the adviser observed such incidents along the border severely damage perception of relationships.
He was assured by the Indian minister that all such incidents would be enquired into with a view to preventing their recurrence.
“Talks were fruitful,” the foreign adviser said, adding that they expressed satisfaction over the successful conclusion of the recent foreign secretary-level meeting between the two countries.
The two sides underscored regular meetings to address bilateral issues.
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