Bangladesh approves a draft on four nations road transport agreement

Bangladesh cabinet, council of ministers, on June 8 approved a draft agreement on movement of passenger, personal and cargo vehicles among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The agreement titled ‘Motor Vehicle Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic’ is scheduled to be signed by road transport ministers of the four South Asian countries on June 15 in Bhutan.

The agreement will connect the nations by roads allowing passenger, personal and cargo vehicles through their borders as a move to boost sub-regional connectivity.  

The cabinet meeting chaired by prime minister Sheikh Hasina made the approval on June 8, cabinet secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting.  

There is another proposal on cards signing such a deal among the member countries of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation allowing vehicle movements.

SAARC member states—Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Maldives—are in discussion to materialse the deal but could not complete the process.

According to the draft of the four nations road vehicles agreement, officials authorized by the countries concerned can search or inspect the vehicles while crossing their territories.

Vehicles will not be allowed to load any goods half way to the destination in another country or to carry any illegal goods, according to the draft. The agreement will be renewable every three years if the countries signed the deal. Signing a protocol will be needed for implementation of the agreement.