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COVID-19 changes theory of globalization: Expert


Bangladeshpost
Published : 20 Mar 2020 08:48 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 11:19 AM

With the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the nations have taken a U-turn from the theory of globalisation by cutting off communications, sealing off borders, suspending flights and locking down cities.

“But there is a lack of a common platform to lead the world in containing the curse of coronavirus, which is claiming lives every hour, roaming around the world,” said noted communication expert Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique in an exclusive interview with BSS. He said the global crisis cannot be contained by cutting off communications rather it is a must to make united global efforts to tackle the deadly virus.

Appreciating the videoconference of SAARC leaders in the wake of COVID-19 on March 15, he said the South Asian leaders presented the latest conditions of respective countries and discussed what to do to address the situation.

“I think the United Nations and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council should come forward to take combined efforts to deal with the pandemic,” said Prof Siddique, a former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University.

He said if the five permanent member states can utilise their power calling upon all the countries to work concertedly in containing the virus, making the United Nations a focal point. “It will be easier to combat the global crisis, if the huge network of the United Nations and its all other specialised organisations can be utilised in a proper way,” he observed.

Siddique said all the countries, including the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, are in deep concern but this crisis cannot be tackled separately. He said the contagious virus, whose epicenter was the Wuhan city of China, would not follow any boundary of Asia, Africa, Europe, America or Australia.

A pandemic would not remain in a boundary as the deadly virus has already travelled from epicenter China to Italy, France, Spain, Germany and other European countries, South Korea, Iran and over 140 other countries.

“We can divide the world though the map, saying this is Bangladesh, that is India, China and USA, but after all, the earth is sole,” pointed out Siddique, also a veteran professor of Mass Communication and Journalism at DU.

He said “We, the global citizens, should think of making concerted efforts for the welfare of our planet – the earth.” Siddique said the SAARC nations have set an example that the entire globe should make united efforts to contain the global crisis.

He hoped the world leaders would come forward to tackle not only this COVID-19 pandemic but also every possible crisis of the globe in the coming days.