Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has once again put forward a strong call to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), an organization that has been inactive for nearly a decade. Saarc, formed to promote cooperation among South Asian nations, has been largely dormant since 2016, following the Pakistan-backed Uri terror attacks that killed 17 Indian soldiers. These attacks triggered a wave of regional tension, ultimately leading India and several other member states to boycott the Islamabad summit scheduled that year. Since then, the group has failed to hold any formal gatherings, leaving its original vision of collaboration across South Asia in a state of prolonged stagnation.
Yunus’s renewed focus on Saarc was highlighted during his meeting with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, who became the first Pakistani foreign minister to visit Bangladesh in thirteen years. During their talks, Yunus emphasized not only the need to strengthen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan but also the broader necessity of fostering deeper regional cooperation. He made it clear that Saarc, despite its troubled past, still holds immense potential for advancing mutual interests. Yunus stated that building strong connections within Saarc was among his government’s highest priorities, signaling his determination to bring the grouping back into relevance.
This is not the first time Yunus has raised the issue of Saarc’s revival. In fact, during the previous year, he had a significant meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, only days after he assumed office. At that time too, Saarc was a central point of discussion, reflecting Yunus’s long-term vision to reinstate the organization as an effective platform for regional dialogue. His consistent efforts show that he views Saarc not just as a diplomatic formality but as an essential tool for stability, connectivity, and shared development across South Asia.
Currently, Saarc’s membership includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Despite this broad representation, the grouping has struggled to act collectively due to recurring political disputes and mistrust, particularly between India and Pakistan. The absence of any summit since 2014, when leaders met in Kathmandu, reflects the extent of this paralysis. While other global and regional organizations have continued to adapt and expand their influence, Saarc has remained trapped in old rivalries, undermining its ability to serve as a meaningful body for cooperation.
India has, at times, attempted to inject new life into the framework. For instance, during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the creation of a Saarc Emergency Fund, contributing $10 million to support member countries in their health responses. The initiative briefly showed how Saarc could play a constructive role in addressing shared challenges. However, despite such efforts, the structural weaknesses of the organization have remained unaddressed. Pakistan’s repeated vetoes of critical agreements, such as trade protocols and the Saarc Motor Vehicles Agreement — designed to facilitate cross-border transport and economic integration — have further weakened the group’s effectiveness.
The Yunus-Dar meeting may signal renewed diplomatic engagement, but the road to reviving Saarc is still riddled with obstacles. The organization’s history of internal disagreements, particularly Pakistan’s obstruction of key initiatives, continues to cast doubt on its future. Many member states have already shifted their focus toward alternative frameworks like BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), which excludes Pakistan and has been seen as a more functional platform for regional progress. Unless there is a genuine shift in attitudes, especially from Pakistan, Saarc risks remaining a symbolic rather than a practical institution.
Still, Yunus’s advocacy suggests that Bangladesh sees value in keeping Saarc alive, particularly as regional cooperation becomes increasingly important in tackling shared challenges such as climate change, trade barriers, and security threats. His persistence may help reopen conversations that could, over time, reduce the entrenched mistrust among members. Whether these diplomatic overtures translate into concrete progress will depend on the willingness of South Asian nations to put aside their disputes and embrace collective solutions. For now, Saarc remains suspended between the hope of revival and the reality of prolonged dormancy.
