DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged the administration of its member countries to be sincere in implementing decisions of SAARC leaders for overall development of the region.

The Premier came up with the urge when SAARC Cabinet Secretaries met her at the Gono Bhaban, official residence of the prime minister, on Saturday morning.

At the same day, a two-day long meeting of the cabinet secretaries is going to be held in a city hotel in a bid to identify the priority areas of increased cooperation among the countries in the region.

SAARC Cabinet Secretaries were call on Sheikh Hasina prior to start the meeting proceedings.

At that time The Prime Minister gave necessary directives about the agenda of the two-day meeting.

Sheikh Hasina told them, “Political leaders take decisions but administration officers execute these. “Administrations of SAARC member countries will work together for the overall development, I do believe,” she added

Mentioning poverty, as the common problem, the PM added that SAARC countries will have to fight against terrorism, women and children trafficking along with arms smuggling.

Sheikh Hasina said that a large number of total population of the world live in SAARC countries, for whom stronger economic policy is needed.

Besides SAARC Secretary General, Cabinet Secretaries of Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan were present there.

Md. Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, Special Assistant to the PM, briefed the press after the meeting.

This is the second meeting of SAARC Cabinet Secretaries while the first one was held in 2009 at Delhi in India.

BDST: 1237 HRS, APR 26, 2014