Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan on Monday signed a framework agreement which will allow the movement of personal, passenger and cargo vehicles through roadways among the four countries, reports United News of Bangladesh.
The agreement titled ‘Motor Vehicles Agreement’ was signed in Thimpu, Bhutan at a meeting of Transport Ministers of the four Saarc countries, senior information officer of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, Abu Naser, said.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader signed the agreement on behalf of Bangladesh.
The Cabinet on June 8 approved the draft of the ‘Motor Vehicles Agreement’.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said another protocol will have to be signed now before the agreement comes into effect.
He said since all the four countries have agreed to strike this deal, the signing of the related protocol would not take that much time.
When a vehicle will travel from Nepal to Bangladesh through India, the owner must pay fees to both Indian and Bangladesh authorities.
Musharraf Hossain said the draft agreement has kept a scope for the inclusion of any country subject to the consent of these four countries.
Besides, under the agreement, the vehicles concerned would need to take permits and that no vehicle could board passenger and carry goods in the middle of a country. The authorized officials of the host country could search the vehicles which must have insurances and must comply with prohibition and restriction of the host country.
The Cabinet Secretary said the relevant countries can review the agreement after every three years or before, even can pull out of the agreement serving a six months’ notice.
Source: New Age
