▁Asia ▁and ▁fe ared ▁that ▁Rah man ' s ▁proposal ▁for ▁a ▁regional ▁organisation ▁might ▁provide ▁an ▁opportunity ▁for ▁new ▁smaller ▁neighb ours ▁to ▁re - intern ational ize ▁all ▁bil ater al ▁issues ▁and ▁to ▁join ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁to ▁form ▁an ▁opposition ▁against ▁India . ▁Pakistan ▁assumed ▁that ▁it ▁might ▁be ▁an ▁Indian ▁strategy ▁to ▁organ ize ▁the ▁other ▁South ▁Asian ▁countries ▁against ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁ensure ▁a ▁regional ▁market ▁for ▁Indian ▁products , ▁thereby ▁cons olid ating ▁and ▁further ▁strength ening ▁India ' s ▁economic ▁domin ance ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁However , ▁after ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁diplom atic ▁consult ations ▁head ed ▁by ▁Bang l adesh ▁between ▁South ▁Asian ▁U . N . ▁represent atives ▁at ▁the ▁UN ▁headquarters ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁it ▁was ▁agreed ▁that ▁Bang l adesh ▁would ▁prepare ▁the ▁draft ▁of ▁a ▁working ▁paper ▁for ▁discussion ▁among ▁the ▁foreign ▁secret aries ▁of ▁South ▁Asian ▁countries . ▁The ▁foreign ▁secret aries ▁of ▁the ▁inner ▁seven ▁countries ▁again ▁deleg ated ▁a ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Wh ole ▁in ▁Col om bo ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁which ▁identified ▁five ▁broad ▁areas ▁for ▁regional ▁co operation . ▁New ▁areas ▁of ▁co - operation ▁were ▁added ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁international ▁conference ▁held ▁in ▁D h aka ▁by ▁its ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs , ▁the ▁foreign ▁minister s ▁of ▁the ▁inner ▁seven ▁countries