Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has renewed his call to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying the organisation’s core spirit remains intact despite years of political stagnation in the region.

Yunus made the remarks following the presence of several South Asian leaders at the funeral of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, an event that turned into a rare moment of regional convergence in Dhaka.

After the funeral procession on Wednesday, a number of visiting dignitaries held courtesy meetings with the chief adviser. Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam disclosed the details at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Thursday afternoon.

Leaders and ministers who attended the funeral included Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister DN Dhungyel, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, and Maldives Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Ali Haidar Ahmed.

According to the press secretary, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Bala Nanda Sharma met Professor Yunus on Wednesday, while Ali Haidar Ahmed and Vijitha Herath met him on Thursday afternoon. During each interaction, Yunus delivered the same message, SAARC must be revived.

He said the gathering of leaders from across South Asia to honour Khaleda Zia clearly showed that regional goodwill still exists. “The SAARC spirit is alive and well. We must preserve this spirit,” Yunus said.

Shafiqul Alam noted that the visiting foreign dignitaries were deeply impressed by the scale, discipline, and dignity of the funeral. Several leaders told Yunus that they had never witnessed such a massive funeral, praising the orderly manner in which it was conducted.

The foreign dignitaries also paid tribute to Khaleda Zia and conveyed condolences to BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, underscoring the emotional and diplomatic significance of the moment.