Political turmoil in Bangladesh has kept the universities closed for months at a time. Some 20,000 Bangladeshis are now reportedly receiving their university education in India. Many wealthy families in the region educate their children abroad, further undermining commitment to the national education systems. A renewal of the region's universities may yet occur. The newly established North-South University in Bangladesh and the Lahore University of Management Sciences both successfully incorporate these approaches.
Educational achievement is respected and prized in all the local cultures.
With careful cooperation among governments, nongovernmental organizations, and international institutions, we believe that South Asia's educational systems can be revitalized. Deforestation, soil erosion, siltation, droughts, floods, and urban pollution could undermine economic growth, deplete food supplies, and cause political and social instability. These effects are already evident. South Asia's environmental problems will also have international effects. Given the rapid rise in South Asia's populations, growing urbanization, and the area's potential for rapid economic growth, unchecked pollution could have grave consequences for global warming and depletion of the ozone layer.