DHAKA: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) are expected to sign the motor vehicle agreement on Monday in Thimpu, Bhutan at a meeting of the BBIN transportation ministers.

After signing, the agreement will permit seamless connectivity of passengers and vehicles through the roadways of these countries.

Earlier, BBIN officials had agreed to seal the agreement at the ministerial level at a meeting held in Kolkata last February.

On June 8, Bangladesh has approved draft of the agreement on road connectivity between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.

Later on June 10, India also approved signing of the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst BBIN, reports oneindia.com

According to Nepal’s Physical Infrastructure and Transport Secretary Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, his country endorsed the agreement in a cabinet meeting held last week.

The pact will allow movement of passengers and cargo in the four Saarc nations without the need to change vehicles at the border. They will allow each other’s vehicles to enter its territory under certain terms and conditions which will be fixed bilaterally and trilaterally.

“Issues like customs and tariffs will be determined by the respective countries and they will be discussed at the bilateral and trilateral forums,” Sitaula said, reports ekantipur.com.

 The motor vehicle agreement was one of the items on the agenda of the 18th Saarc Summit held in Kathmandu in November last year.

However, it could not be signed due to Pakistan’s reservations. The motor vehicle agreement has been pitched as one of the most crucial aspects in increasing trade, tourism and connectivity within the Saarc region to create greater socio-economic ties.  

At a meeting held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2009, Saarc transport ministers had approved the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Group on Transport (IGGT) to set up an expert group to negotiate and finalize the text of the draft Regional Agreement on Motor Vehicles for SAARC Member States. Last September, the expert group finalized the draft of the agreement which was subsequently endorsed by the fifth meeting of the Saarc IGGT in 2014, which was attended by delegates from all the member states except Maldives.

After the umbrella agreement is signed, countries will be able to hold bilateral meetings and define the terms and conditions to enable passage of vehicles and passengers.

The only difference between the Saarc Motor Vehicle Agreement and the BBIN is the name.

The agreement will promote safe, economical efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the sub-region and will further help each country in creating an institutional mechanism for regional integration.

BBIN countries will be benefited by mutual cross border movement of passenger and goods for overall economic development of the region. The people of the four countries will benefit through seamless movement of goods and passenger across borders.

Each party will bear its own costs arising from implementation of this agreement.


BDST: 1850 HRS, JUN 12, 2015
RS