Purpose

The East Asia Study Center (ESAC) is a unique institution in Bangladesh focused on the study of contemporary East Asian and ASEAN countries. The main objective of the Center is to discuss the local, national and global issues relating to East Asia from a multidisciplinary perspective. EASC’s mission is to produce and publish East Asia–focused interdisciplinary research; to educate students, scholars, and corporate and governmental affiliates about the importance of Bangladesh-East Asia relations; to promote constructive interaction to understand and resolve the region’s challenges; to influence Look East policy of Bangladesh; and to guide East Asian nations on key foreign relations, government, political economy, technology, and social issues. The specific objectives include the following:

1. To disseminate knowledge and information as a resource center/base on East Asia,
2. To increase mutual interactions between people and nations of Bangladesh and East Asian region,
3. To conduct research on the entire range of East Asian (Japan, Korea and China) history, politics, economy, culture and diplomacy in the current perspective,
4. To act as a voluntary and academic consultative body to the Government of Bangladesh as well as the East Asian Governments with regard to security, diplomatic, bilateral trade, investment, commerce, and development cooperation,
5. To provide education and training facilities,
6. To act as a civil society watchdog for Bangladesh’s trade and commerce with East Asian countries including foreign aid negotiation, implementation and management network concerning East Asian ODA, and
7. To act as a civil society advocacy group concerning East Asia-Bangladesh cooperation.