The February 2024 issue of Thinking Aloud is a special issue, showcasing the discussion of the SANEM-IHD joint panel session on “Rethinking Ways to Attain SDGs in South Asian Countries in the Context of the Ongoing Global Challenges”, held in the “IHD Global Conclave on Advancing Human Development in the Global South” in New Delhi, India on 13 January 2024. The first-page article, “Rethinking ways to attain SDGs in Bangladesh”, points out the limited progress Bangladesh has made so far in attaining the SDGs. Discussing the shortcomings of the business-as-usual approach in attaining the SDGs, the article highlights the challenges stemming from the ongoing macroeconomic crisis and Bangladesh’s upcoming graduation from the LDC category. The article recommends establishing an effective regulatory environment, instituting a robust coordination mechanism among wider stakeholders, and developing institutional capacity to overcome the barriers to achieving the SDGs. The second article, “Sustainable development and the inclusion question: A look at the Indian situation”, identifies labour redundancy as a major factor behind relatively high poverty in India, and explores the lack of public investment in the health and education sector. Along with increased level of expenditure in these sectors, the article recommends the promotion of decentralised and labour-intensive industrialisation. The third article, “De-industrialization stares at Nepal’s SDG quest”, looks into the structural challenges Nepal faces in realizing its aspiration to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030. Discussing the huge resource gap in financing SDGs, the article recommends the adoption of a well-designed industrial development strategy. The fourth article, “Attaining SDGs amidst multiple crises in Sri Lanka”, explores how the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent economic turmoil have affected efforts to reduce poverty. The article identifies financing SDGs, data deficits, policy inconsistency, and issues related to institutional capacities as the major impediments to achieving the SDGs in Sri Lanka. The article emphasises enhancing global/regional partnerships and mobilizing resources through traditional and non-traditional ways for accelerating SDG achievement. The fourth page covers the events in January 2024.
