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OPINION

Can D-8 Take Off?

A Husnain
The new D-8 economic and development group of eight Muslim countries (out of the 56 QIC members) will be a milestone in the history of the Muslim world, if it can work actively, and not remain passive like the bigger OIC.
The potential power' is impressive : a market of 800 million people, with a total trade volume of USD 400 billion, comprising 10 per cent of the global GDP. The area stretches From Indonesia to Turkey and some African nations, comprising members who are in SAARC, ASEAN and the new BISTEC. Another advantage is the proximity of the CIS Muslim majority nations.
D-8 can only work with the indirect blessing and support of G-7. the largest non-Muslim and richest group in the world. Iran and the Arab world in the Middle East have yet to form a common platform. To add variety. Iraq has been made into a buffer state to serve vested global interests.
The question which can be posed is why the latter (vested interest group) are now allowing- D-8 to be formed and to prosper potentially. There may be some truth in the analysis that some of the Arab states are in the pocket of G-7. with huge forward sales which will take a couple of decades for repayment of the goods and services.
How the formation of the D-8 bloc will affect the states contiguous to it? Afghanistan is a Muslim state, now passing through an unstable phase of eolitical development. How >ng will this Instability will be allowed to continue, and how and when the problem is going to be solved to return to normal
conditions after the civil war? One view is that now that D-8 could be formed, a solution to the Afghan issue has to found through the wisdom of the united nations (not necessarily UN, which is becoming passive like the OIC).
The hop Eastwards to Bangladesh is over India, a vast country of 900 million, with the potentiality to become one of the most powerful nations in Asia in the next century. How India is going to react to this D-8 garland? An intriguing question not to be set aside.
Then comes ASEAN with Myanmar in between. Malaysia's clout will strongly influence the working of D-8: hence Dr Mahathir's statesmanship will be watched with great interest. The member with the biggest population (200m) is Indonesia. Obviously she is likely to appreciate the end of the isolation, sitting down below in the Asia-Pacific region.
The topographical scenario is interesting — very interest a. stretching thousands of es; a passage from the South Pacific to the CIS region in the heart of Asia. The think-tanks all over the world would be deeply engaged in analysing the implications of this vast linkup of like-minded people. Would G-7 be worried or happy?
Bangladesh has now got a good opportunity to expand her external affairs gamesmanship. It is exciting to find Dhaka active in so many groupings. SAARC. the Quadrangle, the Triangle, the Bay Rim plan. BISTEC. and what not. The situation is pregnant with expec tations. depending on how the politicians come forward to serve the country first