COLOMBO, Aug 1 (BSS): The fourth SAARC journalists' summit, organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), concluded here today with foreign ministers of SAARC countries giving assurances of continued cooperation to help solve the problems of the journalists.
The concluding session of the journalists summit titled "Foreign ministers on media issues" called for allowing free flow of information and media products, free movement of journalists across borders and the right to know in South Asia.
Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and also Chairman of SAARC Council of Ministers Rohitha Bogollagama, Nepalese Foreign Minister Gyan Chandra Acharya, Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo Ugyern Tshering, the Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, SAFMA President Lakshman Gunasekera and Secretary General Imtiaz Alam and President of SAFMA Indian Chapter KK Katyal spoke on the occasion.
Iftekhar called for creating an ambience of greater amity, mutual trust and understanding to make the region a better living place. "Let us concentrate on what unites us rather what divides us", he said.
He said the success of SAARC largely depends on how well its member countries can contribute collectively in the fast changing world.
Pranab Mukherjee called for strengthening the institutions in all SAARC states to help survive democracies.
Laying stress on both regional and sub-regional cooperation, he said the SAARC has huge entities and also divergences.
Shah Mahmood said the people and the civil society in the SAARC countries are far ahead of the governments.
He called upon all including the journalists to work collectively to make SAARC a vibrant organisation to deliver welfare to over 1.5 billion people of the region.
Rohitha Bogollagama called for working together to ensure freedom of people, and to free the people from hunger, terrorism and threats to take our respective countries towards peace and progress. Eradication of terrorism, he said, is a must to help survive democracy.
The SAARC journalists summit, the largest gathering of journalists in the region, under the theme "freedom of media in conflicts situations" began in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
The members of Bangladesh delegation included President of SAMC Bangladesh chapter Mizanur Rahman Shelley and its General Secretary Saukat Mahmud, Editor of Independent Mahbubul Alam, former ambassador Mohammad Zamir, Editor of Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, SAFMA General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Faruque, BFUJ President M Mozammel Huq and Secretary General Ruhul Amin Gazi, BFUJ President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, General Secretary of Jatiya Press Club Kamaluddin Shabuj, Chief News Editor of NTV Khairul Anwar and Advocate Elina Khan.
