Future of Saarc

. PHOTO: AFP

Saarc's population is 1.5 billion, whereas India's population is 1 billions plus, so basically Saarc is India. India and India alone will be the great beneficiary of this Saarc and compared to India, Pakistan's population is only 150 millions. The enhancement of Saarc will favour Indian industries and it is evident now that Bangladesh has become the dumping ground for Indian goods and the balance of trade is 10 times in favour of India. Now in case of Pakistan, most Pakistanis are distrustful of this Saarc circle. Saarc means trouble for Pakistan's industries. India is just waiting in the wings that Saarc would somehow allow it to dump its products in Pakistan. We, Pakistanis, have to pay this price. Pakistan is a separate country, has a separate identity, and its people have different aspirations.

After the recent earthquake, which struck Pakistan, who came to Pakistan's rescue? The Turkish Prime Minister came to Pakistan with a team of helpers and he pledged a sum of $150 millions. The Saarc nations did nothing. Now we Pakistanis are hearing of the word integration. Do we like this new buzzword? The answer is an emphatic no.

Many people have cited the success of European Union and that Saarc should be like it, but they forget that in the European Union there is no country like the huge India.

It is good to see the urgency in the government for ensuring total security and safety during the Saarc summit. They are organising a so called "Security Blanket" in the major areas of Dhaka city where the summit will take place and in the hotels and rest houses where the valued guests will reside.

We are prepared to go through the hardships of walking as vehicle movement is restricted in many areas for the sake of national image i.e. Bangladesh or the BNP government can in fact maintain security in the country.

But what about the unimportant places? What if the terrorist groups are actually waiting for such a situation? It is wrong to presume that they will not take advantage of this to spread fear in Chittagong, or in Feni or in Comilla, Rangpur and other small towns?

Shouldn't our government take this possibility into account?

Faisal Khair Chowdhury Ramna, Dhaka

After reading that the major topics of the Saarc summit will be poverty alleviation, economy and terrorism, I have noticed how the organisers of the summit might have contributed to these issues. By closing the Karwan Bazar for the summit period, leaving many people without income for days (especially after a public holiday period), the summit has contributed to increasing poverty and halting economic progress. By requisitioning vehicles because the government will not hire them through a due process (which includes paying the rental promised at the time of the deal) the summit organisers have effectively terrorised people into doing something they would rather not do and affected their economic security.

The beautification of the city and the fairy lights are lovely to see. It also shows how things can be done when 'important people' want things to be done. So why didn't the 'important people' ensure that people's livelihoods would not be disrupted and damaged during the summit?

If this could occur, then people like myself might think that big meetings like this are not just talk in the wind.

Tim Watson Dhaka