Travel in South-Asia like never before

Sub-regional co-operation may be hitting new heights in the coming months. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan look set to sign a deal, which could see unrestricted movement of vehicles between the countries within the end of the year. If implemented, the historic move would resemble something similar to traveling in the countries within the European Union.

Security forces take part in a parade at the Benapole-Petrapole Border

Currently traveling in the region is entangled in red tape. The deal would allow passenger and cargo vehicles to ply the roads of the four countries without hindrances. One just has to carry proper identifications such as car papers, passport and national identity card. In addition, the traveler would require a special driving license and a special car fitness certificate.
The deal envisages permitting vehicles to ply designated routes in the four countries. People from all walks of life in Bangladesh welcome the idea. They believe it would positively unveil a new era regional co-operation in which peoples would greatly benefit. It would also immensely help eradicate poverty in the region.
In the motor vehicle agreement, officials said it proposed how private cars, passenger buses, ambulances and commercial cargoes could move across the region.
Although quite a few aspects of the agreement are yet to be chalked out, diplomatic sources say that a deal shall be penned in Thimphu, Bhutan, on June 15, by the transport ministers of the four countries.
The four-nation motor vehicle agreement is taking place a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh when he along with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the third (Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati) direct bus services between India and Bangladesh.
A similar deal was planned for all SAARC countries earlier but had been shelved due to Pakistan’s reluctance to sign such a deal citing disagreements with some of the points of the agreement.
Cross border trade would benefit substantially, with the reduction in cost and time of unloading and loading of goods at the borders. On the other hand tourism and businesses would hugely benefit from such a framework. It would also bring the people of the region together, and would no doubt break through the different barriers of religion, social groups and nationality.
The arrangements for implementing the agreement will be spelt out through protocols that the four neighboring countries will negotiate separately under the framework of this agreement. They agreed to set up individual national committees and a sub-regional joint committee for the overall facilitation of land transport and to coordinate and monitor the agreement’s implementation.

Is it the end of borders between these neighbouring countries as we know it? Or not?

When contacted by reportsbd.com regarding the implementation of this framework, a senior analyst of sub-regional co-operation in South Asia said the biggest challenge for all the four countries in this issue is to ensure security for one another. “With the rise in radical religious groups across India, Bangladesh and Nepal security framework would have to be carefully and meticulously drawn out,’ added the analyst requesting anonymity.
On the other hand, for business and leisure travelers of the four countries it would open a new chapter in South-Asian transportation. The idea of traveling the whole region using one’s personal transport seems to be a mouth watering prospect for quite a few young individuals that this correspondent spoke to. “The day this agreement is chalked out, a few friends and I have already planned to go for a trip around the region. We are planning a road-trip staring from Dhaka and traveling around Bangladesh and India in our own vehicle. It would be a trip of a lifetime!” said a recent graduate from a private university.
The movement of people across the India-Bangladesh border would also benefit individuals who frequently travel the route for medical purposes. There are a great deal of medical tourists who travel frequently between these countries and as a result, the deal specifically points out the movement of ambulances.
Story by Mishel Ali Khan

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Posted by Reportsbd on May 26 2015. Filed under Home Slide, International, Special Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry