They were speaking at the inaugural session of 'GKP (Global Knowledge Partnership) South Asia Meeting: Consolidating the Partnership Towards Global Knowledge' jointly organised by D.Net, Bangladesh NGO's Network for Radio and Communications (BNNRC) and Sri Lankan organisation Sarvodaya Fusion at the city's Brac Inn.

Speaking as the chief guest, Vice Chancellor of Brac University Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury stressed disseminating knowledge in languages that people understand.

"Few people in South Asia have access to printed materials and there lies the necessity for some intermediary that would translate those to them," he said, adding "cellphone technology has made significant progress in this context".

Director of Saarc and BIMSTEC Wing at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Riaz Hamidullah said that youth organisations of South Asia have the potentiality to bring in positive changes.

"South Asian nations would start youth exchange programme soon," he added.

He also stressed close relations between public and private sector and the civil society in generating new knowledge and in ensuring their uses for a better tomorrow.

The two-day meet at Dhaka aims to frame a common agenda for South Asian nations so that they can have a common voice in the third Global Knowledge Partnership that is scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, said the organisers.

In the first day of the programme, 33 people from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India participated where they assessed the works of the South Asian countries in disseminating information and communication technology to common people.

Director, Programme of D.Net Mahmudul Hasan conducted the inaugural session while its Executive Director Dr Anannya Raihan, Managing Director of Sarvodaya Fusion Dr Harsha Liyanage and Coordinator of GKP Secretariat Justine Chew were also present.