Six routes to be fixed by Sept 23
Six routes linking Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will be finalised by September 23 for passenger and private vehicles to travel across the region, according to the road transport and bridges ministry.
The authorities have come up with possible routes as per the Motor Vehicle Agreement signed in June in Thimphu.
During the signing of the agreement, a plan was sketched out to open the routes in January next year for limited operation of passenger vehicles.
Besides, two draft protocols were prepared on improving and finalising routes, issuing driving licences, permitting and tracking vehicles, route fees, visa and transit issues and security of vehicles.
Transports ministers of the four nations while signing the agreement also decided to organise a motor rally and hold a trial operation of vehicles to introduce the routes.
The motor rally will travel the routes from October 14 to December 1, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader at a press briefing at the Secretariat yesterday.
The rally will begin from the eastern Indian state of Odisha and enter Bangladesh on November 28 after touching Nepal, Bhutan, Assam and Tripura, he said. It will then head towards Kolkata on November 30 and end there crossing Benapole border.
Meanwhile, the technical committees of the signatories held their first meeting in Dhaka last week when they discussed all the issues. They agreed that the route fees would be uniform and that the amount should not hamper the spirit of the sub-regional connectivity facilitated by the Asian Development Bank.
The protocol on the movement of passenger and private vehicles will be prepared by
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