Regional cooperation is critical for fostering the exchange of experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions among member nations, leading in significant advancements in policy, governance, economic, and social outcomes founded on mutual trust and respect. Regional collaboration can help South Asia's regional identity and progress.  India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks as Afghanistan's Former President Ashraf Ghani watches during the opening session of 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu November 26, 2014. 

Former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman first proposed the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1980, sending letters to various governments in order to foster intra-regional cooperation and expedite the economic and social development of its members. The first summit meeting of South Asian government heads was held in Dhaka on December 7-8, 1985, during which the formation of SAARC was publicly established. The regional institution sought to build mutual understanding and trust among its member states. Unfortunately, SAARC's progress has repeatedly been hampered by persistent regional disputes.

It has been ten years since SAARC's last summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, and many experts of South Asia have long deemed SAARC ineffectual and irrelevant. Despite the wealth of good conditions and chances for regional collaboration, South Asia as a whole fail to fully capitalize on them.

The dispute between India and Pakistan, as well as India's aggressive approach towards the region, are among the many factors contributing to SAARC's poor advancement. According to experts, despite being South Asia's most powerful and populous country, India is viewed with suspicion by its neighbours.

Expert discussions reveal that India is well-positioned to play a more significant role in maintaining regional integrity and leading collaboration among South and Central Asian nations, thanks to its unwavering commitment to multipolarity and captivating cultural influence. However, some argue that India is now the principal impediment to regional cooperation in South Asia, rather than the driving force.

The primary cause of regional geopolitical problems is India's vision and support for regional governments, which are rooted in a racist ideology held by the country's present ruling party. That worldview is inherently incompatible with demonstrating equal cooperation to its smaller neighbours. And it has essentially crippled SAARC, hurting both regional collaboration and South Asia's visibility in international fora. 

Unfortunately, the SAARC countries lack economic complementarity; instead, they are highly competitive markets in which each country sells basically comparable items such as cotton, jute, spices, and so on. Furthermore, there is less intra-regional trade in the area, limiting the subcontinent's ability to integrate economically. The entire concept of SAARC is a shared market, similar to that of the EU, but unlike European nations, South Asian nations have been unable to establish proactive cooperation among member states, such as free movement of citizens across the region or market integration. 

SAARC should be re-empowered at this critical time for South Asia—as nations have either seen their governments deposed or are experiencing economic turmoil—so that its benefits can play a role in resolving all of the region's integrating difficulties, such as availability, people-to-people contact, and efficient commerce. Open borders or constant availability across the full region are, indeed, required. It includes everything, from telecommunications to railroads, highways, and maritime infrastructure. Cross-border collaboration is necessary if South Asian leaders' goals are to reduce conflicts, combat terrorism, and promote seamless communication, as the region's proximity suggests.

Despite certain disappointments, Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel winner Prof Muhammad Yunus, believes SAARC has the capacity to promote regional integration. Bangladesh values SAARC and wishes for its growth as a regional body. The government is committed to respecting the purposes and ideals of the SAARC charter, and it believes that SAARC should continue to exist. The strong will of South Asian countries will largely determine whether SAARC can be revived, and Bangladesh's foreign affairs adviser deserves credit for taking a proactive approach in expressing Bangladesh's desire to resuscitate SAARC.

Given regional dynamics, South Asian countries would benefit from functionalism, which would entail deferring resolution of controversial problems in order to strengthen SAARC cooperation. India should approach the region with an open mind and play an important role in promoting unrestricted growth among its neighbours.

Despite its several problems, SAARC has not been completely inactive. Of course, it has not served its purpose, but that doesn't imply it won't. It is therefore vital to ensure that any growth or improvement inside SAARC does not impair the region's strategic operations. As a result, there is still considerable work to be done. Nonetheless, if conversations proceed logically and usefully, they may develop into possibilities. Regardless of the enmity between India and Pakistan, conflicts between any two members should not impede other members of SAARC sub-regions from working more effectively together. 

Regional cooperation makes sense geographically, socially, economically, culturally, and politically, as witnessed in the EU and ASEAN, and throughout SAARC's functional phase, such as when the South Asian Free Trade Area was established in 2006. Increased engagement and collaboration, while leaving past errors behind, will benefit the whole South Asian area.

The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, has stressed the importance of reviving SAARC from the start of his tenure as Chief Advisor. "Problems between the two countries should not affect other countries in South Asia," he said, adding that "If South Asian leaders meet every year, stand together, and take pictures, then a message goes out to the entire world that we are united. This will present South Asian countries in a positive light to the rest of the world, allowing us to progress. South Asia is at a critical moment, with tensions between important players persisting while other countries' economy is in disarray. Hostility is counterproductive; rebuilding SAARC via mutual cooperation would at least revive hope in the region. 

Bangladesh can take two key moves right away to make room for SAARC to revive. To strengthen public diplomacy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may brief its ambassador who is serving as Director at the SAARC Secretariat. This can be accomplished through a series of consultative sessions in which experts from SAARC member countries debate issues of mutual importance. The next phase is for MOFA to continue its SAARC rejuvenation strategy in all South Asian countries by building contacts and exchanging ideas with different stakeholders.  Holding the next SAARC Summit should be the key priority right now. The SAARC Secretariat must adopt a proactive approach to this matter. Bangladesh's interim administration must take the initiative to unite the SAARC platform and transform it into a hub for the region's prosperity, peace, and stability.

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Dr Mohammad Tarikul Islam is professor at the Department of Government and Politics in Jahangirnagar University. He has been a visiting scholar and guest faculty at Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard Universities.