Leaders recall Ziaur Rahman’s SAARC vision, urge renewed dialogue for stronger South Asian cooperation and integration. Photo : MoFA

DHAKA, April 18, 2026 (BSS) - Speakers at a ministerial panel today at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye warmly recalled Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's seminal initiative in establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). 

They highlighted the enduring relevance of the SAARC for regional cooperation and dialogue. 

The panel brought together Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Afghanistan's Transport Minister Azizi, according to a message received here. 

Addressing the session, Dr Rahman said reviving the SAARC remains a major foreign policy objective of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

The speakers agreed that South Asia holds immense potential for cooperation and stressed that sustained dialogue and diplomacy are the only effective means to overcome longstanding barriers and advance regional integration.