Bangladesh wants to hold the twice-postponed summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) in December, the foreign ministry said, according to a media report on Tuesday. "We're working to find a suitable time for us and other member states but in my personal opinion December is the suitable time," the private UNB agency quoted foreign ministry adviser Reaz Rahman as saying late Monday.
Rahman said Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would visit Vietnam next month and that the government would be busy with the budget and the next session of parliament during the months of May and June.
India pulled out of the summit in February citing the ongoing security situation in the region.
Indian foreign ministry officials said the decision was influenced by security concerns following the murder of a former Bangladesh finance minister and the situation in neighbouring Nepal, where King Gyanendra had just sacked his government and seized power.
Singh's withdrawal led to the summit being postponed, angering Bangladesh, which described India's reasons as unacceptable as comprehensive and blanket security arrangements had been made.
The summit had originally been due to take place between January 9-11 but was cancelled after the tsunami disaster and rescheduled for February 6-7.
Saarc groups Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.