"Despite the postponement of the 13th summit, Saarc still remains important for both big and small countries," said Prof Sobhan, a member of the Saarc group of eminent persons, at a seminar yesterday in the city.

The Centre for Strategic and Peace Study (CSPS) organised the seminar, entitled 'The Postponement of the Saarc Summit: Implications for the future,' at the Cirdap auditorium.

Prof Sobhan pointed out that the political dispensation of a single country should not be a sufficient reason for postponing the summit, adding that the Saarc countries should keep exploring opportunities from the organisation.

Regarding India's role in strengthening Saarc, he said, "As a large country India has a vital role to play but the other countries should also extend the hand of cooperation."

Prof. Sobhan went on to say that a Dhaka summit has the potential to follow up on several vital decisions adopted during the 12th Saarc summit held in Islamabad, including those in the areas of free trade, social charters and security.

His remarks were echoed by the editor of The New Age, Enayetullah Khan, who said the postponement of the 13th Saarc summit is a tremendous blow for the people of the South Asia.

The editor added that the narrow designs of India and Pakistan should not alone determine the outcome of the summits. "The Islamabad summit was an acceleration of a relationship between two hostile countries - India and Pakistan - not for Saarc."

He also expressed that it might not be possible to hold the 13th Saarc summit in the current year.

Also speaking at the seminar, Prof. Ataur Rahman, of the political science department in Dhaka University, said the 13th Saarc summit could be a turning point in terms of Safta and a social charter, adding that trade among Saarc countries would suffer due to the postponement of the Saarc summit.

He said that economic cooperation among Saarc countries is vital but political cooperation is necessary.

"There are many possibilities in Saarc and we have to generate those through a building up of effective diplomacy with other countries," Prof. Rahman observed.

Former ambassador Mohammed Zamir said the Saarc countries should remove all inherent mistrust among themselves for moving forward, adding that Bangladesh has taken sufficient measures in terms of security.

Moderated by CSPS chairman Azizur Rahman, the seminar was also addressed by columnist Sadeq Khan and former ambassador Musleh Uddin Ahmed.