Dhaka, Kathmandu share vision for SAARC
Staff Reporter :
Nepal’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ghanshyam Bhandari, has emphasised that both Bangladesh and Nepal share a common stance on revitalising the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has
remained largely dormant in recent years.
The envoy made these remarks while addressing a seminar titled “Bangladesh-Nepal Relations: Towards a New Height”, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) on Sunday.
Speaking as the guest of honour at the BIISS auditorium, Ambassador Bhandari recalled that the last SAARC Summit was held in Kathmandu in 2014, since which no further summits have taken place. Despite Nepal continuing in its role as Chair of the regional bloc, progress at the political level has been limited, he noted, although technical committees and working groups under SAARC remain active.
“Unless all member states reach a consensus, it is not possible to convene summits or ministerial meetings,” said the ambassador. “However, I can confidently say that Bangladesh and Nepal share the same position on advancing SAARC.”
Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between the two nations, Ambassador Bhandari remarked that Bangladesh and Nepal share not only geographical proximity but also strong historical, cultural, and economic connections. He noted significant recent progress in areas such as bilateral trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges-developments that present broad prospects for mutual growth and regional integration.
As a landlocked nation, Nepal stands to benefit from using Bangladeshi seaports for international trade, the ambassador said. In return, he suggested, Bangladesh could import renewable hydropower from Nepal to help meet its growing energy needs. He further emphasised that improving physical connectivity – via road, rail, and air links – remains both a pressing challenge and a strategic opportunity to enhance bilateral trade and strengthen ties.
Other speakers at the seminar included Professor Dr Niloy Ranjan Biswas of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka. During the open discussion, participants underscored the potential for the Bangladesh-Nepal partnership to play a pivotal role in promoting regional stability and prosperity, particularly in the context of South Asia’s evolving geopolitical dynamics.
It was further noted that both countries are pursuing efforts to diversify their foreign relations and reduce dependence on any single partner. This expanding cooperation, participants argued, could serve as a model of pragmatic diplomacy for the region.
The seminar was chaired by BIISS Chairman Ambassador AFM Gausul Azam Sarkar. BIISS Director General Major General Md. Iftekhar Anis delivered the welcome address.