Dhaka is signaling a renewed push for the revitalization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), with the incoming administration of Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman identifying the regional bloc as strategically important for Bangladesh’s economic interests. The call for revival comes as Rahman is set to be sworn in as prime minister on Tuesday, following the Bangladesh National Party’s (BNP) landslide victory in the February 12 general election, securing a two-thirds majority.
Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim, International Affairs Secretary for the BNP, stated that SAARC’s dormancy has hindered regional economic integration. “The revival of SAARC, as [Prime Minister-elect] Tarique Rahman realized, would benefit the whole region, mostly South Asia,” Ashim said in an interview with RT India on Monday. He specifically highlighted the potential for improved supply chains, reduced logistics costs, and increased energy trade for Bangladesh.
SAARC, established in 1985, comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Yet, the organization has been largely inactive since the cancellation of the 2016 Islamabad summit, a consequence of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. According to Ashim, these tensions have “limited regional trade, connectivity, and collective diplomacy,” rendering the bloc ineffective.
The push for SAARC’s revival is not new. In 2020, New Delhi reportedly explored options to reactivate the organization as a means of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and countering China’s growing influence in the region. However, those efforts did not yield a summit, and the underlying political obstacles between India and Pakistan remain.
Ashim emphasized that South Asia is currently the least economically integrated region globally, making the restoration of SAARC particularly crucial for Bangladesh. He noted that Dhaka stands to gain from enhanced regional supply chains, energy trade, transit connectivity, and lower logistics expenses. The last SAARC summit was held in Kathmandu in 2014.
Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim was as well recently elected in the Moulvibazar-1 (Barlekha-Juri) constituency, according to reports from the Daily Country Today, further solidifying his position within the new administration and his capacity to advocate for SAARC’s revival.
