State Minister for Local Government. Rural Development and Cooperatives Syed Abul Hossain yesterday said the present government Is pledge-bound to strengthen and broaden the scope of cooperation in core economic areas among SAARC countries, reports BSS.

Speaking at the SAARC diploma engineers conference, organised by the Institute of Diploma Engineers. Bangladesh. in the city yesterday, the minister said. 'SAARC region presents a stark paradox. It has vast potentials but side by side, it is now the world's largest pocket of poverty."

The state minister said through application and transfer of technology, the region could harness its enormous resources and radically transform the standard of living of its people.

Syed Abul Hossain said if there had been cooperation instead of competition, trust and confidence building in place of misgivings and bickerings among South Asian nations, the sky would have been the limit for them to achieve progress and prosperity.

Presided over by the president of the Institute of Diploma Engineer, Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, the conference was attended. among others, by general secretary of the institute. Akma Hamid and delegates from the SAARC countries.