Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh attaches top importance to its friendly relations with the South Asian countries for the sake of promoting peace, stability and development in the region.
In this respect, Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's firm commitment to make the Saarc a more vibrant and meaningful organisation through concerted efforts of all in the region.
"We have to work together in making the Saarc a meaningful regional organisation to further develop the region through positive measurers, concerted actions and mutually reinforcing cooperation," she said.
The Bangladesh's Premier said this when her Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani called on her at Bangladesh House in the Saarc Village yesterday afternoon.
She said collective strength of the South Asian countries should be put in place for increased socio-economic development leading to emancipation of the nations from poverty.
"Bangladesh and Pakistan can work together to add further momentum to the Saarc process, make it a more vibrant and meaningful organisation in the greater interest of the people of this region," she said.
The meeting between the two leaders covered various issues of bilateral and multilateral interests, strengthening of democracy, increasing people to people contact and expansion of trade and business among the South Asian countries.
Laying emphasis on democracy, Hasina said no country can achieve its desired development without uninterrupted democracy. In this context, she stressed on strengthening all democratic institutions to this end.
The premier mentioned her government's various steps to further strengthening parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh by empowering all local government institutions.
After the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen.
On expansion of trade and business between Bangladesh and Pakistan, Hasina said there are ample potentials for enhancing the bilateral trade between the two countries and this should be exploited to increase the trade volume and also to narrow down the trade imbalance.
She pointed out that Pakistan may take steps to reduce high tariff on import of jute goods, particularly jute bags from Bangladesh. In this respect, she invited increased Pakistani investment in pharmaceuticals, textiles, IT, telecommunications and agro-based industries sectors in Bangladesh.
Gilani hailed Sheikh Hasina for her visionary leadership in steering Bangladesh towards development and her sincere efforts for effectively tackling the climate change consequences.
Laying emphasis on uninterrupted democracy, he solicited Hasina's able leadership in further strengthening the democratic institutions in the region. "You have vast experiences and ideas as you have inherited those. So, you can play a vital role to this end," he said with a note of high appreciation.
The Pakistan PM said his country attaches the highest importance to its relations with Bangladesh. "Pakistan wants to work closely with Bangladesh for establishing regional and world peace as well," he said.
Later, Hasina paid separate call on Maldives President Nashid Ahmad and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai at the Maldives House and the Afghanistan House respectively in the Saarc Village.
During the meetings, they discussed various issues of bilateral interests as well as the consequences of climate change.
Hasina and Ahmed stressed on working closely with other South Asian countries to face the grim challenges of climate change caused by the global warming.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Environment and Forests Hasan Mahmud and Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, among others, were present on the occasion.