Tariq Karim 
TORTUOUS EVOLUTION OF SOUTH ASIAN REGIONAL COOPERATION, THE [EPUB ebook] 
Bangladesh’s Travails for Sub-Regional Cooperation

The dramatic shift of the Indian subcontinent, once highly integrated for a millennium until its Partition in 1947, into one of the world’s least integrated regions, raises questions about this swift transformation. The formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) by the newly partitioned states aimed at fostering collaboration. However, initial efforts proved futile, prompting a comparison with the successful dynamics of the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Drawing on his experience in the Bangladesh foreign ministry and as a World Bank consultant, Ambassador Tariq Karim’s book provides insights into South Asian regional cooperation. It traverses history, analyses cooperation models, examines various dimensions of collaboration, and envisions extending sub-regional cooperation to the broader Bay of Bengal region.

Ambassador Karim’s narrative highlights contrasts between SAARC’s challenges and the achievements of the EU and ASEAN, emphasising key factors that differentiate successful regional initiatives. This book not only serves as a documentation of historical shifts but also envisages a future where the Indian subcontinent and its neighbouring regions embrace enhanced collaboration for mutual benefit.

Contents:

• Preface


• About the Author


• South Asia: From Most Integrated to Least Integrated Overnight


• Understanding the Schizophrenic Malaise of Post-colonial South Asia


• Importation and Reaction: New Elites, New Institutions


• Groping in the Dark for Hands to Hold: The Genesis of SAARC


• Centripetal Versus Centrifugal Forces in Regional Integration: Three Case Studies


• Groping for Light: Adopting a Sub-regional Approach


• Bangladesh’s Compulsions From Partitioned Rivers


• Epiphany: The Problem is in Ourselves


• Bangladesh–India Relations: Turning Things Around, Finally


• SAARC in Deadlock and the Reincarnation of SAGQ as BBIN


• My Efforts at Sustaining the Process From the Outside (2014–2020)


• Elections, Electioneering Rhetoric and Their Negative Fallout


• Railways Connectivity: Most Successful So Far


• Prognosis for the Future and the Way Forward


• Annexures


• Index

Readership: Scholars studying regional cooperation in South Asia. Professionals and practitioners from various sectors engaging in South Asia. Policymakers and analysts of international relations and South Asian relations.

Key Features:

• This is one of the very few books to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of regional cooperation in South Asia


• The author is a practitioner turned academician. Thus, the author includes his personal experience to provide unique insights into the region’s cooperation efforts


• It compares and contrasts the experiences of South Asia with other regions, such as the European Union and ASEAN, to provide valuable lessons for future cooperation efforts