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Anwar Hossain | Update: 04:16, Jun 13, 2015
The framework of the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement is to be signed in Bhutanese capital Thimphu on Monday.
A Bangladesh team led by road transport and bridges minster Obaidul Quader left for Bhutan on Friday. The framework agreement was approved by the Bangladesh Cabinet on Monday.
Transport ministers of the South Asian neighbours will sign the agreement for the regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic amongst the four SAARC countries.
According to the road and transport ministry, the main agreement could be signed at the end of this year after completing certain formalities.
Road survey, trial run service, and immigration facilities will be discussed. Transportation has been planned in the next year among the four countries.
The agreement includes movement of passenger buses, trucks and lorries, and private cars.
Formalities regarding tariff and immigration will be carried out under the law of the respective countries.
But fees for movement permission and transit will be fixed through discussions.
The agreement is being signed based on the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC): Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework. The four SAARC countries ratified the SASEC framework in March 2014.
Road transport secretary MAN Siddique told Prothom Alo the vehicular movement will be only through landports. Any new port, if set up in future, will be included in the agreement.
Now, passenger and goods carriers operate between India and Bangladesh.
If this agrrement comes into effect, any of the four countries will be allowed to use land of another coutry to travel to a third country.
The agreement has been made following the European Union model.
According to the draft framework agreement, the permitted vehicles should have updated document of ownership, fitness, and insurance.
Local or international, any kind of driving licence will be accepted for the driver, and the traveler should have valid travel documents. If needed, the authorities concerned of either country can inspect the vehicles on the way.
Contraband or listed sensitive goods cannot be carried in the vehicles. Separate forms for cars, passenger buses and goods carriers have to be filled with seeking permission for movement in the desired country. Commercial vehicles should receive long-term permission, and private cars will get provisional permission issued by the immigration authorities on arrival.
Transport route: Bangladesh has a total of 20 land ports among which 19 are connected with different states of India. The Teknaf port is connected with Myanmar. Bangladesh-India will be able to communicate with all the existing ports. However, two roads for Nepal and two for Bhutan have been primarily fixed for travelling to and from Bangladesh.
During discussions, it was decided that Bangladesh will use Dhaka-Banglabandha-Jalpaiguri- Kakorbhita route and Dhaka-Burimari-Chengrabandha route to visit Nepal, while Dhaka-Burimari-Chengrabandha route and Dhaka-Sylhet-Shillong-Guwahati route will be used to visit Bhutan. Some Bhutanese citizens already travelled on the recently inaugurated Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati bus service.
Sources said, according to the agreement, commercially operated buses, rented buses and cars, and private cars are termed as passenger vehicles. Trailers and trucks which can carry containers are termed as goods vehicles.
How the vehicles will move: Private cars will be counted as irregular vehicles. People with private cars will be permitted for 30 days for their visit. The purposes of the journey mentioned are tourism, pilgrimage, attending marriage, medical treatment, study tours, and to board a train.
Tourists have to refuel their own vehicles and can carry spare parts without paying taxes. They will get the fuel at an unsubsidised price. In case of any accident, action will be taken in accordance with the laws of the respective countries. Vehicle permits are needed for every trip.
Members new and old: In the framework of the agreement it is said that any country other than the four can join the free transit system. The inclusion will be halted if one of the four countries disagrees.
A signing country has to inform others in written if it wants to get out of the process. Within 30 days, the transport secretaries of the four countries will then discuss the consequence and, what to do next.
The written application will be in effect six months after the date of receiving it by the rest three countries.
Colour of commercial vehicles: According to the agreement, the colour of the passenger and goods carriers will be white. Names of transport, country, starting place and destination, and route should be written in English and respective state language on the both side of the vehicle in yellow.
Source: Prothom Alo
The framework of the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement is to be signed in Bhutanese capital Thimphu on Monday.
A Bangladesh team led by road transport and bridges minster Obaidul Quader left for Bhutan on Friday. The framework agreement was approved by the Bangladesh Cabinet on Monday.
Transport ministers of the South Asian neighbours will sign the agreement for the regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic amongst the four SAARC countries.
According to the road and transport ministry, the main agreement could be signed at the end of this year after completing certain formalities.
Road survey, trial run service, and immigration facilities will be discussed. Transportation has been planned in the next year among the four countries.
The agreement includes movement of passenger buses, trucks and lorries, and private cars.
Formalities regarding tariff and immigration will be carried out under the law of the respective countries.
But fees for movement permission and transit will be fixed through discussions.
The agreement is being signed based on the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC): Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework. The four SAARC countries ratified the SASEC framework in March 2014.
Road transport secretary MAN Siddique told Prothom Alo the vehicular movement will be only through landports. Any new port, if set up in future, will be included in the agreement.
Now, passenger and goods carriers operate between India and Bangladesh.
If this agrrement comes into effect, any of the four countries will be allowed to use land of another coutry to travel to a third country.
The agreement has been made following the European Union model.
According to the draft framework agreement, the permitted vehicles should have updated document of ownership, fitness, and insurance.
Local or international, any kind of driving licence will be accepted for the driver, and the traveler should have valid travel documents. If needed, the authorities concerned of either country can inspect the vehicles on the way.
Contraband or listed sensitive goods cannot be carried in the vehicles. Separate forms for cars, passenger buses and goods carriers have to be filled with seeking permission for movement in the desired country. Commercial vehicles should receive long-term permission, and private cars will get provisional permission issued by the immigration authorities on arrival.
Transport route: Bangladesh has a total of 20 land ports among which 19 are connected with different states of India. The Teknaf port is connected with Myanmar. Bangladesh-India will be able to communicate with all the existing ports. However, two roads for Nepal and two for Bhutan have been primarily fixed for travelling to and from Bangladesh.
During discussions, it was decided that Bangladesh will use Dhaka-Banglabandha-Jalpaiguri- Kakorbhita route and Dhaka-Burimari-Chengrabandha route to visit Nepal, while Dhaka-Burimari-Chengrabandha route and Dhaka-Sylhet-Shillong-Guwahati route will be used to visit Bhutan. Some Bhutanese citizens already travelled on the recently inaugurated Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati bus service.
Sources said, according to the agreement, commercially operated buses, rented buses and cars, and private cars are termed as passenger vehicles. Trailers and trucks which can carry containers are termed as goods vehicles.
How the vehicles will move: Private cars will be counted as irregular vehicles. People with private cars will be permitted for 30 days for their visit. The purposes of the journey mentioned are tourism, pilgrimage, attending marriage, medical treatment, study tours, and to board a train.
Tourists have to refuel their own vehicles and can carry spare parts without paying taxes. They will get the fuel at an unsubsidised price. In case of any accident, action will be taken in accordance with the laws of the respective countries. Vehicle permits are needed for every trip.
Members new and old: In the framework of the agreement it is said that any country other than the four can join the free transit system. The inclusion will be halted if one of the four countries disagrees.
A signing country has to inform others in written if it wants to get out of the process. Within 30 days, the transport secretaries of the four countries will then discuss the consequence and, what to do next.
The written application will be in effect six months after the date of receiving it by the rest three countries.
Colour of commercial vehicles: According to the agreement, the colour of the passenger and goods carriers will be white. Names of transport, country, starting place and destination, and route should be written in English and respective state language on the both side of the vehicle in yellow.
Source: Prothom Alo
Perhaps its new "look east" policy is adopted with squinted eye. 
otherwise even with wretched motives behind this initiative if it gives livelihood to some people then hope it helps.
