SAGQ Re-focused
We have been a pusher for debates at the political, expert and public forums on the turn-of-the century-question relating to the formation of a South Asian Growth Quadrangle encompassing Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the seven north-eastern states of India. Since the mooting of the idea at the foreign ministers' level in New Delhi more than six months ago and its adoption at the level of foreign secretaries at Kathmandu subsequently, all we have had by way of deliberation on the subject is a sharply divided political diatribe between the ruling party and the opposition. the public are left confused and groping in the dark about how best to form an informed judgement on the issue.
The seminar on "South Asian Growth Quadrangle: Bangladesh Perspective," organised by the International Studies Association of Bangladesh (ISAB) at the BIISS auditorium on Thursday, merits appreciation for bringing up the subject on a serious note after it had been willy-nilly consigned to a hibernation of sorts. We would like to peg our hat on the assurances the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury gave in the seminar to the effect that an expert opinion will be elicited on the security question in determining the areas of cooperative with the partners while we welcome the preparation of various approach and research papers in the prelude to taking a plunge, our focus is lent to the dire need for routing the question through the Parliament and other bipartisan channels and public forums in a bid to reach a whole-hearted national consensus on the subject.
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