Liberalising health services in south Asia: implications for Bangladesh

South Asian countries have witnessed significant shift in the structure of their economy during the last few decades, in terms of the dominance of the services sector compared to the traditional sectors such as agriculture and industry. The contribution of the services trade in total trade of South Asian countries is increasing over time. Recognising the importance, South Asian countries have embarked on extending regional economic cooperation beyond the free trade agreement on goods (South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)), to services. The draft South Asian Framework Agreement on Services (SAFAS) has been adopted with this end in view. It is expected that intra-regional trade and investment in health services will take place through operationalisation of the SAFAS. This will, in turn, help to improve the quality of healthcare within the region. Bangladesh, like other South Asian countries, is yet to ensure improved healthcare for all its citizens. Due to inadequate facility and lack o