Regional integration- Bangladesh,India and others

 

Recently Mr. Azizul Islam , Finance and Planning Adviser of Bangladesh has made some comments on the regional integration in the South Asia (8 July, 2007)

 

He was telling that the bigness of India in respect of area, population and economy is a great obstacle to the regional integration in the S Asia.These bigness created a little doubt in the neighborhood. The smaller countries think that if the regional cooperation is stronger, then India will be more benefited. Still then, in areas where regional cooperation may bring positive result, it will be better to advance in those fields.

 

He was speaking in the launching ceremony of the book ‘ South Asia: Growth and Regional integration’ by the World Bank.

Though SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) started in Eighty’s ,little progress has been made in this respect over the years.

The South Asia has a common Geographic, Historical and Cultural background. It is time to think over the need of regional integration as the world is moving fast. EU has become a new economic power through regional integration.

Though it will take a long time to be a compact regional body for us, we can identify some areas where we can develop close cooperation. These areas may be transport. Power generation and distribution, water management, joint venture industries, Development of Chittagong Sea Port and its access area.

What needed for India is to be more liberal and for other countries to become pragmatic.

Bdoza