COVID-19 and Demographic Perspectives: Evidence from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Abstract

Like many other parts in the world, many South Asian countries are currently experiencing the sternness of the unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) despite collaborative efforts taken by the respective governments under the umbrella of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). All of them have espoused obligatory policies including social distancing measures and lockdown to control the epidemic. In this paper, various demographic aspects of selected South Asian countries involving Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka prior to the arrival of COVID-19 have been studied. In addition, the trends of COVID-19 cases in these countries along with death rates, recovery rates, sex and age distributions of the detected positive cases have been analyzed. Furthermore, the probable demographic consequences of COVID-19 in these South Asian nations have been discussed. Data from several sources have been utilized for the analytical purpose of the study. Finally, some recommendations are given for the corresponding authorities working in relevant sectors in the aforesaid South Asian countries.