The secretaries at the transport ministries in the South Asian countries are going to participate in a meeting to reach an agreement on cross-border movement of goods-laden trucks in these countries.
Pankaj Saran, the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, made the announcement at a seminar on the occasion of the 66th Indian Republic Day held yesterday at the Institute of Diploma Engineers auditorium in the capital.
“Secretaries of the transport ministries in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan will meet in Kolkata early next month to come to an agreement on transport movement among the countries,” he said.
Tareq Md Ariful Islam, director general of the South Asia Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also told the Dhaka Tribune that the meeting was taking place, but he could not give any details.
Addressing the event, speakers emphasised the importance of enhancing the cooperation among the South Asian countries by allowing cross-border transport movement, agreeing that doing so would ultimately make the region’s economy and development stronger.
Speaking at the seminar, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh and India have been long-tested friends since the former’s independence, and there are a number of issues the countries could resolve together for the sake of their own development.
Prof Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University said cooperation among the South Asian countries would be easy as they are share similar cultural traits.
The minister further said: “It is our expectation that India will play its leadership role in taking along all the other countries in South Asia so that South Asia can emerge as a global player at all fronts.
“Bangladesh and India are not only friends and neighbours, but also development partners. The emotional bond and people-to-people contacts between our two countries form the strongest and most treasured part of our relationship. We need to nurture it as a catalyst to further enhance our bilateral ties.”
