S. M. Reza - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by S. M. Reza

Research paper thumbnail of Could Expansion of SAARC Strengthen Regional Cooperation in South Asia?

国際公共政策研究, Sep 1, 2014

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) underwent its first expansion procedure ... more South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) underwent its first expansion procedure by including Afghanistan as its eighth formal member and welcoming nine observers from outside the region since 2005. There are some scholarly debates on the expansion of SAARC. Some argue that enlargement would add new strength and dynamism to SAARC fostering regional cooperation, while others maintain that the expansion might bring more challenges rather than cooperation due to anomalous and asymmetric relations among the members and observer states. This paper argues that the inclusion of Afghanistan and other powers in SAARC is unlikely to bring innovation and dynamism unless the regional body develops strong and clear institutional mechanisms to engage and interact meaningfully for sub-regional as well as interregional cooperation. This article also makes an assessment of Japan's involvement in the SAARC process as an observer for cooperation and development of the region.

Research paper thumbnail of Japan and South Asia : Still Distant Neighbours?

The Japan-South Asia relationship has traversed a lengthy pathway of “peaks and troughs” in the h... more The Japan-South Asia relationship has traversed a lengthy pathway of “peaks and troughs” in the history of their relationship. Following a marked period of warmth in the immediate postwar period, Japan-South Asia relationship maintained a diminutive key during the Cold War era. It gained impetus with the historic visit of Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu to the region in 1990 paving the way for formal cooperation between Japan and the SAARC. Despite the enormity of Japan’s Offi cial Development Assistance (ODA) to all the South Asian nations, the region’s share in Japan’s global trade and investment is very minimal, and is mostly India-centric. However, in recent years the South Asian region has become geo-strategically signifi cant to the scope of Japan’s strategic-diplomatic agenda. Afghanistan’s inclusion into the SAARC vis-à-vis South Asia and Japan being offered observer status to the SAARC along with China provides further weight to this relationship. Under the above backdrop, thi...

Research paper thumbnail of Title India and SAARC : ‘ Same Bed , DifferentDreams ’ ? Author ( s )

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was inaugurated with an aim to boost... more The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was inaugurated with an aim to boost South Asian regionalism guaranteeing wider development in almost all sectors. The “neverending-rivalry” between Pakistan and India, mutual mistrust among actors involved and lack of statesmanship among the South Asian leaders, however, has jeopardized the entire mechanism of regional integration and cooperation. As the dominant stakeholder of the SAARC region, India was expected to take the lead in stimulating SAARC activities. But, in reality, a consensus regarding the role of India as the pivotal power within the grouping, and a consensus shared by the pivot itself could not be settled over the last three decades. Moreover, India claims that other South Asian nations led by Pakistan approaches to “ganging up” against India, forging a united front under the umbrella of SAARC. Although India has shown interest in SAARC on many occasions, its periodic reluctance towards the regional body...

Research paper thumbnail of Fifty Years of Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Japan’s Contribution to the Freedom Struggle of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Political Science Review

The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ban... more The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan. Japan was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh officially, on 10 th February 1972, fewer than two months after the latter gained independence. This article investigates the great assistance that Japan extended to Bangladesh at this crucial juncture in its history, while also exploring several new insights into Japan’s contribution to the freedom struggle in 1971. The widespread support and cooperation of the Japanese people towards Bangladesh during its resistance against the Pakistan military were spontaneous and overwhelming. Many Japanese organizations, like the 'Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Association' (JBFA), the 'Bangladesh Solidarity Front' (BSF), and the Japan Red Cross Society (JRCS), made an immense contribution to Bangladesh's War of Liberation. Notable Japanese politicians and professionals, like Takashi Hayakawa (MP), Prof...

Research paper thumbnail of Could Expansion of SAARC Strengthen Regional Cooperation in South Asia?

国際公共政策研究, Sep 1, 2014

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) underwent its first expansion procedure ... more South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) underwent its first expansion procedure by including Afghanistan as its eighth formal member and welcoming nine observers from outside the region since 2005. There are some scholarly debates on the expansion of SAARC. Some argue that enlargement would add new strength and dynamism to SAARC fostering regional cooperation, while others maintain that the expansion might bring more challenges rather than cooperation due to anomalous and asymmetric relations among the members and observer states. This paper argues that the inclusion of Afghanistan and other powers in SAARC is unlikely to bring innovation and dynamism unless the regional body develops strong and clear institutional mechanisms to engage and interact meaningfully for sub-regional as well as interregional cooperation. This article also makes an assessment of Japan's involvement in the SAARC process as an observer for cooperation and development of the region.

Research paper thumbnail of Japan and South Asia : Still Distant Neighbours?

The Japan-South Asia relationship has traversed a lengthy pathway of “peaks and troughs” in the h... more The Japan-South Asia relationship has traversed a lengthy pathway of “peaks and troughs” in the history of their relationship. Following a marked period of warmth in the immediate postwar period, Japan-South Asia relationship maintained a diminutive key during the Cold War era. It gained impetus with the historic visit of Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu to the region in 1990 paving the way for formal cooperation between Japan and the SAARC. Despite the enormity of Japan’s Offi cial Development Assistance (ODA) to all the South Asian nations, the region’s share in Japan’s global trade and investment is very minimal, and is mostly India-centric. However, in recent years the South Asian region has become geo-strategically signifi cant to the scope of Japan’s strategic-diplomatic agenda. Afghanistan’s inclusion into the SAARC vis-à-vis South Asia and Japan being offered observer status to the SAARC along with China provides further weight to this relationship. Under the above backdrop, thi...

Research paper thumbnail of Title India and SAARC : ‘ Same Bed , DifferentDreams ’ ? Author ( s )

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was inaugurated with an aim to boost... more The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was inaugurated with an aim to boost South Asian regionalism guaranteeing wider development in almost all sectors. The “neverending-rivalry” between Pakistan and India, mutual mistrust among actors involved and lack of statesmanship among the South Asian leaders, however, has jeopardized the entire mechanism of regional integration and cooperation. As the dominant stakeholder of the SAARC region, India was expected to take the lead in stimulating SAARC activities. But, in reality, a consensus regarding the role of India as the pivotal power within the grouping, and a consensus shared by the pivot itself could not be settled over the last three decades. Moreover, India claims that other South Asian nations led by Pakistan approaches to “ganging up” against India, forging a united front under the umbrella of SAARC. Although India has shown interest in SAARC on many occasions, its periodic reluctance towards the regional body...

Research paper thumbnail of Fifty Years of Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Japan’s Contribution to the Freedom Struggle of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Political Science Review

The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ban... more The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan. Japan was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh officially, on 10 th February 1972, fewer than two months after the latter gained independence. This article investigates the great assistance that Japan extended to Bangladesh at this crucial juncture in its history, while also exploring several new insights into Japan’s contribution to the freedom struggle in 1971. The widespread support and cooperation of the Japanese people towards Bangladesh during its resistance against the Pakistan military were spontaneous and overwhelming. Many Japanese organizations, like the 'Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Association' (JBFA), the 'Bangladesh Solidarity Front' (BSF), and the Japan Red Cross Society (JRCS), made an immense contribution to Bangladesh's War of Liberation. Notable Japanese politicians and professionals, like Takashi Hayakawa (MP), Prof...