Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan sign cross-border vehicle agreement

Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan on June 15 signed a framework agreement titled ‘Motor Vehicle Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic’ to facilitate the movement of passenger, personal and cargo vehicles through roadways among the four countries.

Transport ministers of the four countries on the day signed the deal at meeting held in Thimpu, Bhutan.

The countries will have to sign a protocol to materialize the framework agreement before it comes into effect.

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. 

A vehicle from the countries will be allowed to travel through other signing countries by paying fees to the countries through which the vehicle will travel.  

The vehicle will need to take permits and no vehicle will be allowed to board passenger or load any goods half way to the destination in another country or to carry any illegal goods.

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 four nation’s road vehicles agreement, officials authorized by the countries concerned can search or inspect the vehicles while crossing their territories.