India now wants to use its own vehicles in transit trade through Bangladesh under the sub-regional Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA), officials said.
New Delhi made the proposal in a draft agreement between Bangladesh and India for use of Chittagong and Mongla seaports for movement of their goods, they added.
"Means of transportation within Bangladesh will be done using only Bangladeshi vehicles or vessels until coming into force the motor-vehicle agreement for the regulation of passenger-and cargo-vehicular traffic between and among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN MVA)," it noted in the draft.
The agreement was supposed to be signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ongoing Delhi visit but was dropped at the last minute as the cabinet could not endorse it for 'technical reason'.
However, during her visit, one agreement between Bangladesh and India was signed for the regulation of motor-vehicle passenger traffic (Khulna-Kolkata route) and standard operating procedure (SOP) of the agreement.
A senior official at the ministry of shipping (MoS) told the FE in the first draft the means of transportation of transit goods within Bangladesh was set only by Bangladeshi vehicles or vessels. But, in the latest draft, India added a provision that Bangladeshi vehicles or vessels will be used until the BBIN MVA comes into force.
It means, he said, India wants to use its own vehicles to carry transit goods once the MVA takes effect.
Bangladesh and India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in June 2015 relating to the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports for the movement of goods to and from India.
Under the accord, India wants to use four routes inside Bangladesh for goods transportation. Those are Akhaura-Agartala, Tamabil-Dawki, Sheola-Sutarkandi, Srimantapur-Bibirbazar.
Another senior MoS official said the draft agreement on use of Chittagong and Mongla ports could not be finalised yet. Besides, the draft SOP of the agreement also needs to be scrutinised again before finalising.
Presently, India is enjoying transshipment facility in Bangladesh in carrying goods to its northeastern states under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT). The bilateral trade deal paved the way for both the countries to carry goods to their own states or third countries using other's territories.
India is eager to use Bangladesh territory mainly to feed its seven-sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
Bangladesh, India, and Nepal have endorsed the MVA, but Bhutan has yet to ratify it keeping the sub-regional connectivity initiative in limbo.
As a result, the participating countries are now signing bilateral motor-vehicle agreements to foster connectivity.
syful-islam@outlook.com
