Kathmandu: Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has said that the “SAARC spirit is alive and well,” highlighting the strong presence and solidarity of South Asian nations at the funeral of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Professor Yunus said he was deeply moved by the respect shown by SAARC member states toward the three-time Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the world’s second female Muslim head of government. High-level delegations from across South Asia attended the funeral ceremony in Dhaka, underscoring regional unity at a moment of national mourning.
Among the dignitaries present were Speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar; Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Bala Nanda Sharma; Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath; Bhutan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs D.N. Dhungyel; and Maldives Minister of Higher Education and Labour Ali Haider Ahmed.
Following the funeral, the Pakistan parliamentary speaker and ministers from Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives paid courtesy calls on Professor Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. During the meetings, the visiting leaders paid glowing tributes to the late Begum Khaleda Zia, recalling her lifelong struggle for democracy and her role in promoting unity and cooperation among South Asian nations.
Professor Yunus noted the unprecedented public turnout at the funeral, describing it as a reflection of the deep affection and respect the people of Bangladesh had for the late leader. “It shows how much people truly loved her,” he remarked.
Reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) featured prominently in the discussions. Professor Yunus repeatedly stressed the importance of reinvigorating the regional body. “We witnessed a true SAARC spirit at the funeral yesterday. SAARC is still alive. The SAARC spirit is still alive,” he said during his meeting with Maldives Minister Ali Haider Ahmed. He echoed similar sentiments in talks with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, saying, “The SAARC was in action yesterday. We shared our grief and sorrow together.”
Recalling his previous efforts, Professor Yunus said he had once tried to convene an informal gathering of SAARC leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “I wanted to hold a get-together among SAARC leaders, even if only for five minutes,” he said, expressing hope that SAARC could be revitalized as a meaningful platform for nearly two billion people in South Asia.
Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections were also discussed during the meetings. Professor Yunus said the country was fully prepared to hold free, fair and peaceful elections on February 12. He told Pakistan’s parliamentary speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq that he would return to his previous professional role following the elections.
Electoral reforms also drew interest from regional leaders. The foreign ministers of Sri Lanka and Nepal said they were closely following Bangladesh’s introduction of postal voting for its large expatriate population. Professor Yunus said around 700,000 Bangladeshis living and working abroad have registered for postal ballots since the interim government introduced the system for the first time in the country’s history.
“We will learn from your experiences,” Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said, reflecting regional interest in Bangladesh’s electoral innovations.
