Today's Call-In Show focused on the achievements and failures of the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that began on Wednesday in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
<!-- IMAGE -->Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh spoke at the inauguration session as well as did other heads of government and states from other SAARC countries.
<!-- IMAGE -->The panelists answered questions about the effectiveness of such a summit and how it will help Bangladesh and other South Asian countries. The SAARC countries seem to have individual interests. The panelists discussed how initial confidence building measures can eventually lead to free trade between the countries. Right now, the first steps need to be taken. Only then can the future look hopeful.
The panelists were Dr. Fahimul Quadir, professor of the Department of Social Science and director of the graduate program in development studies at York University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Amena Mohsin, professor of International Relations at Dhaka University, and Dr. Chitrita Sanyal, bureau chief of New Delhi for 24 hour tv channel of Kolkata.
