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Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed on Sunday laid emphasis on political consensus in the regions of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to implement its charter properly.

He was addressing as the chief guest the semi­nar on "follow-up of SAARC summit decisions concerning the SAARC social charter" organized by South Asia Center for Policy Studies (SACEPS) in collaboration with Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in a city hotel on Sunday.

Managing Director of Grameen Bank Ltd. Prof. Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting.

Chief socio-economic governance and manage­ment branch of United Nations in New York Dr. Adil Khan, Executive Director of SACEPS Prof. Rehman Sobhan, convener of SACEPS task force on the citizen's charter Dr. Godfrey Gunatilleke of Sri Lanka, coordinator of citizen's social charter preparation task force of India Prof. Muchkund Dubey and Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori took part in the discussion.

"Much achievement have already been achieved in the fields of poverty alleviation, spreading education, empowerment of women in the SAARC region," Moudud said, adding, " if there were any lacuna in the SAARC charter necessary amend­ment would be adopted in this regard. "If the SAARC charter implemented, which was officially adopted at the SAARC summit in Islamabad in January this year designed to deal social, political, economic and human rights issues in the region, peace would be established, the law minister said.

He said more discussions on the SAARC charter are to be held among the citizens, individuals and women groups and as well as in parliament sessions with political consensus in every member countries in the grater interest of the general people

"The citizen's charter on the other hand, has dealt with social integration and good governance, an area which was not addressed by the SAARC charter," Yunus said, adding " micro-credit, infor­mation technology, role of local government like Union Parishad, Gram Sarker and pourasavas have to achieve millenium goal.

Dr Godfrey said "the states and the peoples of South Asia should eliminate all forms violence against minorities and disadvantaged groups to ensure rule of law and good governance in the region" which was also advocated by citizen's charter.