In a letter to the Indian premier on the eve of the 14th Saarc Summit in New Delhi, the immediate past prime minister also focused on different initiatives and decisions taken in the last summit.

Khaleda Zia's letter has been handed over to the Indian deputy high commissioner in Dhaka, said a BNP press release yesterday.

"I am confident that under your wise and capable leadership, the 14th Saarc Summit will carry forward the important legacy of the Dhaka Declaration and make a significant impact on what late President Ziaur Rahman identified as Saarc's overarching priority namely, to visibly improve the quality of life of our peoples in an environment of peace and harmony," Khaleda, who chaired the 13th Saarc summit, said in her letter.

The Dhaka Declaration underscored three cardinal elements -- to consolidate past gains made in the first two decades of Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), to promote more vibrant process of constructive regional cooperation and to translate into concrete actions regional initiatives and actual projects, the letter read.

The 13th summit charted a set of objectives to promote cooperation in core economic areas, including the creation of a wider economic space in South Asia, she added.

"The signing at the Summit of regional agreements on customs, taxation, investment and arbitration will facilitate intra regional trade but more such agreements need to be concluded," added the BNP chairperson hoping for a fruitful 14th Summit.