The trial run of motor vehicles among the four close South Asian neighbours – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, BBIN in short – will start in October.
The secretaries of the transport ministries of these four countries sat in a meeting in Bhutan’s capital Thimphu yesterday and finalised the BBIN motor vehicle agreement and fixed the time-line for the trial run.
The transport ministers of the four neighbouring countries will sign the agreement today at a high-level meeting in the same city.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Le Meridien Hotel in the Bhutanese capital at 12pm local time, in the presence of Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
When contacted, Bangladesh’s Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, who is now leading a five-member delegation in Thimphu, confirmed the news.
The agreement allows personal, passenger and cargo vehicles to travel across borders to each of the other signatory countries without having to face the hassles of trans-shipment.
Bangladeshis will be able to travel by road to India, Nepal and Bhutan in their own private cars or aboard passenger buses, if the agreement is finalised. Likewise, businesspeople will be able to carry goods across borders without trans-shipment.
“After the signing of the agreement, a committee will be formed to specify the details of how the new road connectivity will work.
When the details are finalised and agreed upon, a protocol will be signed. After that, travellers will be able to enjoy the new connectivity,” Chandan Kumar Dey, joint secretary of Bangladesh’s transport ministry, told this to the Dhaka Tribune before leaving for Thimhpu on Thursday.
The 20 land and two sea ports in Bangladesh will gradually come under the purview of the BBIN agreement and the signatory countries will be able to use them for various purposes.
At present, Bangladesh and India have a bilateral agreement on passenger movement, but when the new agreement comes into effect, Bangladeshi truck and private cars will be able to go to Nepal or Bhutan via India.
During last year’s Saarc summit Nepal’s Kathmandu, India offered to sign the deal but Pakistan opposed it. The four other mainland countries of South Asia decided to go ahead with a roadways deal without Pakistan.
When contacted, infrastructure expert Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said: “The BBIN will enable easy movement among the four South Asian countries. It will be a very positive thing for our economy if we can fix the right tariffs and duties. But if we fail to negotiate, it may turn negative for us.”
He also said: “I think some Indian states and Nepal will use our sea ports extensively. The world is gradually getting connected. So why should not we?”
Prof Shamsul Haque, who teaches civil engineering at Buet, emphasised on fixing rational tax rates for the vehicles coming in from India, Nepal and Bhutan.
“The heavy vehicles will damage our roads. The roads will have to be repaired after certain periods of time,” he said.
“Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India is imbalanced because of some complexities in fixing tariff. This problem has to be solved first. If its solved, we will be greatly benefited once these countries start using our ports. There are massive business possibilities with the seven Indian states. We must tap these opportunities,” the Buet professor said.
