Bangladesh favours holding SAARC summit in December

Bangladesh wants to hold the twice-postponed summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in December, the Foreign Ministry said, according to a media report.

"We're working to find a suitable time for us and other member States ... but (in) my personal opinion December is the suitable time," the private UNB agency quoted Foreign Ministry adviser Reaz Rahman as saying late Monday.

Rahman said Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would visit Vietnam next month and that the government would be busy with the budget and the next session of Parliament during both May and June.

India pulled out of the summit in February citing the ongoing security situation in the region. Indian Foreign Ministry officials said the decision was influenced by security concerns following the murder of a former Bangladesh finance minister and the situation in Nepal . - AFP