Economic Integration in South Asia: An Exploratory Study. By Ayubur Rahman Bhuyan. Dacca: The University of Dacca. 1979. Appendix; Bibliography; Index. xi + 224 pp.US S 12.00 or Bangladesh Taka 125.00.

1980 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-83
Author(s):  
Munawar Iqbal

In the book under review, Dr. Ayubur Rahman Bhuyan has made a commendable effort to analyse some of the economic effects of a "possible" customs union among the South Asian countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. While an attempt has been made to quantify the static effects of integration, the rest of the analysis is mostly qualitative. In spite of the limitations imposed by the paucity of data, Dr. Bhuyan's scholarly discussion goes a long way to bring the relevant issues to light. Before going into empirical estimation of the gains and losses of a customs union among the South Asian countries, the author provides a rationale for economic integration among developing countries in terms of the theory of customs unions. He bases his case for economic integration on the need for industrialization. In line with the argument advanced by Johnson as well as by Cooper and Massell, he considers industrial production to be a "public good" which yields to the community satisfaction over and above that obtained through private consumption of industrial products. Industrialization of an underdeveloped country is believed to be virtually impossible in the face of an open competition with developed countries. Hence the need for protection. However, protection has a cost to the economy. Integration is likely to reduce this cost by making available benefits of economies of scale and external economies, thereby bringing about an improvement in productive efficiency.

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Md. Rajin Makhdum Khan ◽  
Faizah Imam

ASEAN and the European Union have showed this world the privileges regional economic integration provides the states. Although Greece and Italy might be the torchbearers of criticism against regional cooperation and integration, these two organizations tend to be some prime examples of necessity of regional economic integration. This dissertation thus focuses on the privileges and advantages that regional economic integration system and organizations deliver to the states aligned within. With the possible and crucial criticisms on mind, the discussion moves forward analyzing if this system is making the countries perform better economically and advance towards domestic development. The dissertation further intends to find out why the South Asian nations might need similar kind of cooperation and why these countries should act more sensible to make the economic integration possible. While remarking the recommendations, the discussion also draws the barriers and the problems that this region might face in order to integrate their economies or enhance their trades. The core argument of this dissertation therefore lies in analyzing the importance of regional economic integration and liberal economics in this modern world and if the South Asian countries need economic integration to develop their domestic economies. The recommendations are to provide the possible ways to run the process and the drawbacks portion mentions the difficulties and barriers to be faced whilst all of these countries’ ongoing strict policies. The argument tries to find out the significance of liberal economics and tribulation of realism in the contemporary world.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilini Saparamadu ◽  
Nesrine Akrimi

This study ascertains the determinants of Intra-Industry Trade (IIT) with particular reference to IIT between Sri Lanka and its major trading partners in South Asia; namely; India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The study uses secondary data published in World Development Indicators, Penn World Table from 1992 to 2017. The level of IIT is calculated by using data gathered from Comtrade Data Base. Using panel data regression, the study adopts Random Effect model to analyze the regression results. The study concludes that economies of scale measured by difference of value added in the net output of the manufacturing sector and market size measured by average gross domestic product exert a significant influence on the level of IIT in the South Asian region. Differences of per capita Gross National Income (GNI - difference in income level) and tariff rate (the proxy for trade barriers) poses a negative influence on the level of IIT. The policymakers should be concerned about the possibility to increase IIT in the South Asian region. Based on the findings of the study, the present research offers policy recommendations to promote IIT within the region.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amlan Haque ◽  
Md Shamirul Islam

Purpose Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has presented an opportunity to set aside traditional regional collaborations and take responsible leadership to overcome difficult times. This paper aims to explore the current COVID-19 vaccination progress and pandemic status for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries and suggests responsible leadership to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to think beyond. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers a viewpoint of the current COVID-19 vaccination among eight SAARC nations. It scrutinises the recent COVID-19 vaccination statistics for the eight South Asian countries based on Web-based analytics and comparative analysis until 28 August 2021. Findings This paper calls for collaborative decisions and responsible actions for policymakers in the SAARC countries to deal with the COVID-19 vaccination crisis. When South Asian countries are fraught with the increasing number of populations with COVID-19 cases, deaths and acute shortage of life-saving vaccines, it is time for their national and SAARC leaders to strengthen regional cooperations and initiate collaborative actions. The paper demonstrates that implementing responsible leadership can result in favourable outcomes for individuals, organisations, regions and the world. Moreover, this paper suggests SAARC, through responsible actions, has the potentiality to overcome the current crisis of COVID-19 vaccination and enhance the regional sustainability of the South Asian nations. Originality/value This paper delivers information about the present developing situation of COVID-19 vaccination in SAARC countries, how the governments and regional leadership are handling and future challenges that have been raised and can be overcome effectively. This paper can be helpful for the policymakers and SAARC leaders for effective public health interventions in the region and to develop a recovery roadmap for the sustainable economic zone.


2020 ◽  
pp. 097491012097480
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ibrahim Shah

Regional economic integration is the key to achieving prosperity and stability. However, intra-regional trade in South Asia accounts for not more than 5%–6% of their total trade. This study aims to examine the role played by regional economic integration in determining the economic growth of South Asian countries over the period 1980–2015. Since shocks in one country may affect another country in the region, this is taken into account in the article by employing methodologies that are robust to cross sectional dependence. Specifically, continuously-updated and bias-corrected (CupBC) of Bai et al. (2009) and Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test (2012) have been employed to estimate long-run coefficients and determine the direction of relationship among the variables, respectively. The findings suggest that economic integration increases economic growth significantly in this region. However, contrary to popular belief, both democracy and human capital are negatively related to economic growth. Bidirectional causality is found between economic integration and democracy, regional integration and human capital, democracy and human capital and, democracy and labor. This study also presents several policy implications for South Asian countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-210
Author(s):  
Suneel Kumar

This article contends that India’s efforts for the reinvigoration of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) are the result of an amalgam of its Act East and Neighbourhood First policies’ objectives. Since 2014, India has been trying to rejuvenate the BIMSTEC to exploit the untapped trade opportunities, promote energy and food security and also boost the development of its North Eastern region by enhancing infrastructural connectivity with South East Asian countries and promoting greater economic integration in the Bay of Bengal region. Its strategic interests and security concerns, especially to build the pressure on Pakistan, counter China’s forays into its strategic backyard and ensure the security of the North Eastern region, have also resurged India’s interests in the revival of BIMSTEC. Like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), there are some hurdles in the way of BIMSTEC, for instance its image of an India-dominated bloc, India’s bilateral differences with other BIMSTEC countries from South Asia, especially with Bangladesh and Nepal, and bilateral disputes between other member countries, particularly Bangladesh and Myanmar and Thailand and Myanmar.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mansour Almazroui ◽  
Sajjad Saeed ◽  
Fahad Saeed ◽  
M. Nazrul Islam ◽  
Muhammad Ismail

Author(s):  
Sangram Kishor Patel ◽  
Gopal Agrawal ◽  
Bincy Mathew ◽  
Sunita Patel ◽  
Biswajit Mohanty ◽  
...  

Purpose South Asian region is a focal point owing to its vulnerabilities to climate-sensitive diseases, dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods, projected levels of crop decline in the region, and high rates of poverty and malnutrition. Women are particularly vulnerable to climate change and this affects women disproportionately during different extreme events. The purpose of this paper is to understand the issue of climate change and its impact, and climate resilience among women in South Asia. Further, it also identifies the gaps and suggests future policy implications. Design/methodology/approach Climate change is increasingly being recognised as an alarming issue and the present review is important when South Asian countries are facing the brunt of climate change impacts. This paper tries to understand the issue by review of the literature and conceptual framework methodology. To understand women’s vulnerability due to climate change and its aftermath, the authors conducted both offline and online desk reviews for this study. Findings The findings of this study show a clear linkage between climate change and women’s vulnerabilities in South Asia. Climate change has significant socio-economic impacts on women, and it affects them disproportionately in various domains of agriculture, livelihood, food security, both physical and mental health, water and sanitation in the South Asia region. Practical implications The paper also highlights that the programmes that aim at combating the effects of climate change require a gender-sensitive approach so that climate change does not obstruct the development and reduction of poverty in the region. Social implications The findings of this paper will add value in helping families to come out of poverty by undertaking adaptive measures with proactive assistance from the government and grassroots level organisations. Originality/value The present study also advocates for more gender- and climate-sensitive measures from governments, and implementation of intervention- and evidence-based research in the South Asian countries.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 15-15
Author(s):  
D Bhuminand ◽  
B Tapendra Prasad ◽  
S Amit Kumar ◽  
M Motozumi ◽  
M Yoh-Ichi

Buffaloes are the major production animals in most of the South Asian countries including Nepal. The buffalo, however, is a sluggish breeder and is beset with various constraints which adversely influence its fertility; such as, problems of silent heat coupled with poor expression of oestrus, irregular oestrus cycles, anoestrus, prolonged days open and low conception rates (Madan and Prakash, 2006). Among them, anoestrus is the most commonly encountered condition leading to reproductive failure and culling in buffaloes. However, the ovarian status of such buffaloes is poorly understood. The present study aims to investigate the ovarian status, uterine pathology and physical condition of anoestrus and culled buffaloes in Chitwan, Nepal. The buffaloes in Nepal are generally culled if they fail to conceive for long time or the production is seized.


2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 790-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazmul Hosain ◽  
Farzana Amin ◽  
Somaiya Rehman ◽  
Bhagawan Koirala

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