DHAKA: The meeting of the second joint-study group of Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor will be held on December 18 and 19 in Cox’s Bazaar after the changes of several dates.
Through building this economic corridor Bangladesh will be connected with the 2000 years old Silk Route.
A new dimension will be opened after Bangladesh is connected with China, India and Myanmar, the concerned observe.
The first meeting of the four country’s delegates was held at Chinese capital Beijing on December 18 and 19 of 2013.
According to the decision of that meeting, the second meeting is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh. However, the meeting was expected to be held in last June in Chittagong.
In the upcoming meeting of Cox’s Bazaar, the priority will be given on building of infrastructure. But there will also be discussion on connectivity, trade, social, human resource and poverty alleviation, sustainable development, people to people contact, investment and funding, goods and services and energy issues.
If the transport connectivity among the BCIM countries becomes stronger, a new potentiality of trade, investment, energy and tourism will be created.
It is learnt that in 1930 the British government took initiatives to revive the two thousand years old silk route. The initiative was taken to enhance the trade with China. The plan was carrying goods by rail from Coz’s Bazaar to Kunming of China via Teknaf, Akiab and Mandalay. Along side there was another plan to export goods to European markets through Chittagong port. But the plan could not be implemented due to the Second World War.
The initiative to reintroduce the old route has come from China. After diplomatic exchanges now Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are working together to materialize it.
In the upcoming meeting under the supervision of Bangladesh foreign ministry, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Bangladesh Institute of International Studies (BIISS), Center for Policy Research (CPR) of India, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences of China and Myanmar’s commerce ministry are doing study on the proposed route in cooperation with BCIM.
In the upcoming meeting, the participating countries will place their proposals. The outlines are under preparation in 12 paragraphs of three parts.
In the meeting, varied discussions will be held on issues like energy cooperation, climatic change, trade balancing, reduction of duties, removal of non-tariff barrier, exchange of cultural activities, coordination of the economic institutions, poverty alleviation and ICT sectors.
Attempts will be taken to be unanimous about all matters. In future this forum can be used to resolve the unsettled issues of this region.
An official of the foreign ministry told Banglanews that they are working on the upcoming meeting of BCIM. An important decision might emerge from this meeting on building infrastructure in these areas.
It is also learnt that meanwhile a bank under the name of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has already been setup with 50 billion dollar fund for building infrastructure and the revival of the historic silk route.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has announced an economic assistance of 40 billion dollars for establishing the route.
Regarding such cooperation the non-government research organizations even the Asian Development Bang (ADB) and World Bank have shown their interest to be involved in the project.
In the conceptual paper of BCIM, it is told that about 2.8 billion people live in this region. It covers nearly half of total population of the world.
In the 90’s importance was given on forming an alliance with China, India and Myanmar unofficially. It was recognized as ‘Kunming Initiative’ in a meeting of some non-government organizations held in Kunming in 1999 for formation of a regional alliance.
BDST: 1553 HRS, DEC 15, 2014
