Beijing, Yangon back Dhaka's plea for Asian Highway route change

---

Shakhawat Hossain
Dhaka has taken an initiative to join the UNESCAP-sponsored Asian Highway through its proposed route after getting green signals from Beijing and Yangon, said a senior communication ministry official Tuesday.
"We have already sent proposal to Yangon after receiving positive signals from Myanmar and China to back the country's plea for route change," said communication ministry secretary Mahmububur Rahman.
Dhaka has not joined the highway after United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) turned down its proposal on the change of route in 2005.
The country wanted Dhaka-Yangon as its main Asian Highway route although UNESCAP proposed Dhaka's main route through India.
As per rules a country can bring about changes in the proposed route with the support of two member countries, which Dhaka failed to get from China and Myanmar in 2005.
The latest positive sign of support from the two countries was aired at the recent bilateral talks between Dhaka and Yangon, and Dhaka and Beijing, he said.
The chief adviser of the caretaker government undertook his first bilateral overseas tour to China last month and played host to a senior Myanmar leader in Dhaka last week.
The communication secretary said construction of a tri-nation highway to establish a road link among the countries, which Dhaka wanted to be its main Asian Highway route, was discussed prominently.
"We have made lot of progress on the issue during the talk," added the communication secretary.
Ministry officials said they will ask the foreign ministry to raise the issue with the UNESCAP after necessary groundwork as any lack of initiative will isolate the country from a major project.
Communication expert Rahmatullah said the move is very good, but the country will have to deal with it very carefully.
"First of all, the country will have to sign the agreement as a member of the pact," he said.
Without membership a country can not make any proposal for a change in the route, added the former UNESCEP official.
The Asian Highway was initiated in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region by linking 140,000 kilometres road network from Tokyo to Ankara.
During the first phase of the project in 1960 and 1970s considerable progress was achieved. However progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975.
The UNESCAP revived the mega project in early 1990s and adopted in Seoul in 2001.
The Highway will cover some 23695 kilometres road network in South East Asia, 50422 in East and North-East Asia, about 20616 in South Asia and 46471 in North Central and South-West Asia.