DHAKA: After being flagged off at Jatiya Sangsad premises, the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) friendship car rally has started for Kolkata of India.

On the way to Kolkata, the riders of the rally paid tributes to the martyrs of war of liberation of 1971 at National Mausoleum at Savar around 10:00am on Tuesday.

The rally started its journey at 8.55am after road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader flagging off the motorcade.

Twenty cars started the journey at the time. Banglanews senior correspondent Mazadul Noyon is accompanying the rally to inform every moment’s development of the rally.

Earlier, the rally starting from Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel visited Bangabandhu Museum in Dhanmondi and paid tributes by placing floral wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a mark of respect.

Later, the rally reached at Jatiya Sangsad Plaza where there were photo sessions. The rally was addressed by minister Obaidul Quader and India outgoing high commissioner Pankaj Saran.

Quader said, ‘We must abolish the boundary wall among the member countries of South Asia. Similarly, we must remove the mistrust and doubts towards each other’.

‘We could also remove our barriers and move forward as Europe has done. Besides, we already have cultural affinity among the nations.’

Remembering the freedom fighters in this month of victory, the bridges minister said that India is our partner in this victory. ‘Hundreds of Indian soldiers were killed in our war of liberation. India sheltered more than a crore refugees.’

He also expressed his gratitude to Bhutan and Nepal for their contributions during the liberation war.

“Bhutan was the first ever country who recognized us as an Independent country. Nepal has been with us as a friend since our independence,” he added.

The minister said there are a lot of challenges ahead and those have solutions. ‘We must resolve the infrastructural problems to set up a stable road network among the four countries’.

‘The infrastructural problems need to be solved by the respective countries within their areas,’ he added.

Moreover, each country will require the enactment of laws that get to be passed in their respective parliaments accordingly for the legal coverage of this road network, the minister added.

Pankaj Saran said that in this age regional connectivity is very important for economic progress. ‘We like to overcome all the barriers,’ he expected.

After flagged off by the minister the rally on its 18th day of journey will reach Kolkata via Savar, Paturia, Faridpur, Jessore, and Benapole.

The rally will to cross 329-km and hold a seminar in Kolkata on December 2.

Earlier, the car rally reached Dhaka on November 29 after crossing around 3,500-kms journey and on November 30 the delegates attended a seminar here.

The rally had started its ambitious journey on November 4 from Indian state of Orissa. The rally will reach Kolkata after a 4,223-km road journey.

With the help of the four countries the main sponsor of the rally is Kalinga Motors of India.

Besides India, there are 14 delegates of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. The senior most member of the delegations in the rally is Orissa MLA and also Kalinga Motors chief Praveen Chandra Bhanj Deo.

Moreover, the Bangladesh delegation is being led by home ministry deputy secretary Nirodh Chandra Mandal, second secretary of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Shahidul Islam, Roads and Highways Department deputy director Maqsudur Rahman, director (Port and Customs) Syed M Bathtiar, Shyamoli Paribahan manager Nayan Kumar Ray and Banglanews24.com senior correspondent Mazadul Haque.

BDST: 1508 HRS, DEC 01, 2015
Shahjahan/SR/RR