NSU's SIPG launches new book on “SDGs in South Asia: A Comparative Study of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka”

On November 27, The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) celebrated the launch of its latest publication, "SDGs in South Asia: A Comparative Study of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka," authoured by Professor Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman, SIPG Adviser at North South University (NSU). The book, published by Prothoma Prokashon, is a culmination of a two-year NSU-funded research project awarded to SIPG.

The book attempts to assess the progress of achievements, implementation concerns, and challenges of SDGs in the context of South Asian countries with particular reference to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The book starts with a narrative of the evolution of four different UN Development Decades, followed by the MDG and SAARC development. Later, the writer has respectively presented and analysed the building blocks of SDGs, qualitative concerns, and an institutional review of SDG implementation arrangements of the case countries.

The book launching ceremony, held at the Prothom Alo Office, saw the presence of esteemed guests including Dr Mustafa K. Mujeri, Executive Director at the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development (InM) & Former Chief Economist of the Bangladesh Bank; Dr Mohammad Mainul Islam, Dept. of Population Science, University of Dhaka; Matiur Rahman, Editor, Prothom Alo; Dr M Sakhawat Hussain, Former Election Commissioner and Senior Fellow, SIPG, NSU; Dr Salahuddin M. Aminuzzaman, Professor and Adviser, SIPG, NSU; Dr SK. Tawfique M. Haque, Professor & Director, SIPG and Chair, Department of Political Science and Sociology (PSS), NSU, along with faculty members of the Department of PSS, NSU.

During the ceremony, Dr Mustafa K. Mujeri emphasised the significance of academic books on SDGs implementation. Prof. Salahuddin M. Aminuzzaman highlighted key findings from his research, offering enlightening thoughts on the comparative study of SDGs implementation in South Asia. Dr M Sakhawat Hussain underscored the necessity of such a comparative study, while Professor Mainul Islam addressed the challenges of collecting data for academic studies on SDGs.

Matiur Rahman expressed his delight at publishing the book with Prothoma and pledged to continue publishing more collaborative works with SIPG, NSU. The event marked a significant milestone in advancing knowledge and understanding of sustainable development in the South Asian context.