The BBIN countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal - will face two major challenges – strict immigration rules and narrow roads - while implementing the BBIN motor vehicle agreement, said speakers at a seminar yesterday.
They said meeting the challenges was crucial to take full benefits of the deal, while addressing the seminar on regional connectivity organised by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at its office in the capital. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader was the chief guest at the programme.
Khondaker Golam Moazzem, additional research director at the Centre for Policy Dialouge, said Bangladesh is likely to be benefited as the agreement would boost trade among the four countries because of the creation of new routes.
The BBIN motor vehicle pact is set to take effect from January next year, allowing transnational transport services among the four countries. Hari Kumar Shrestha, Nepalese envoy to Bangladesh said the focus should be on the possible advantages that all four countries could get after the agreement would take effect.
DCCI President Hossain Khaled said: “Trade potential of the four countries has been limited by inadequate trade infrastructure, dearth of supply chain network, tariff and non-tariff barriers and absence of regional cooperation.”
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said actions would be taken to overcome the challenges that would emerge along the way. “But we have to start first.”
He said the trial run of cargo transports among the four countries in accordance with the agreement would start in early November.
Among others, Muhammad Shafiullah, senior economist at Policy Research Institution, Humayun Rashid, DCCI senior vice-president, and Khair Mohammad Khan, DCCI coordinating director, addressed the seminar.
