BEA conference comes to a close

The 17th biennial conference of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) ended yesterday.
The meeting called for taking steps to reduce inequalities through participatory development.
The three-day programme focused on the economy, regional cooperation in energy and how to attain and sustain self-sufficiency in food production and ensure fair price for farmers.
Different sessions of the conference discussed a series of contemporary economic and socio-political issues to set visions for celebrating the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's liberation.
Stressing the need to form cooperatives to cut disparity, Abul Barkat, immediate-past general secretary of BEA, said development means a reduction in inequality and a cooperative movement could be one of the main instruments to fight discrimination.
On the issue of regional cooperation areas such as water sharing and energy, participants observed that the country's negotiating capacity should be enhanced to benefit from regional cooperation.
Discussants suggested focusing on education and health for development and emphasised technical and higher education.