Bangladesh joins Trans-Asian Railway network
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
RAILWAY transport is a neglected sector in Bangladesh. Compared to other modes of transport, development in railway has hardly progressed in the long thirty-six years after the independence of the country. In sharp contrast to this, in other parts of the world including neighbouring India, railway has undergone massive development. It is not only the most convenient mode of moving people and cargoes from one place to another, it is also a very fast mode of terrestrial transport. In different countries of Asia and Europe, train is the fastest mode of communication available on land.
The entire South Asia was once connected by a huge railway network. After the British colonialists left the sub-continent, it became segregated. In the process, Bangladesh, too, has remained in a state of isolation from the rest of South Asia, so far as communications through railway is concerned. But the scenario is now set for a big shift. Such optimism emanates from the fact that Bangladesh has signed the intergovernmental agreement to join the Trans-Asian Railway Network (TAR). It is worthwhile to note that TAR is a UN-sponsored project to connect major urban and industrial centres as well as important sea and land ports of Asia and Europe. Once Bangladesh is connected to this huge network of about 81,000-km railway system interlinking Asia and Europe, it will be able to come out of the communicational time warp that it had been trapped into so long.
The idea of interlinking the economic hubs of the two continents is however not new. It was conceived in the sixth decade of the last century. But the actual work to materialise the idea progressed at a snail's pace. Hope was high that work for TAR would gain speed with the end of the Cold War. But various internal problems including conflicts and social unrest and cross-border tension within and among many Asian nations have delayed the process to start the project. However, the first step in this direction was taken last year when 10 nations inked the agreement in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Bangladesh is the 20th out of the 28 Asian countries to have signed the deal.
Where does Bangladesh stand in this huge scheme of railway network passing through 28 Asian nations before its entry into Europe? TAR network will cross into Bangladesh from three entry points all of them situated on the Bangladesh-India border and exiting though Gundhum on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. According to this design, Bangladesh is therefore considered as the transit route between the two fastest growing economic giants of the world, India and China. This is undoubtedly a big opportunity for Bangladesh. The country can be hugely benefited if it is able to make optimum use of its connectivity through TAR with especially these two economies as well as others with judiciousness.
The Chief of the UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), which looks after TAR, envisages hauling of different kinds of minerals on a massive scale between the roaring economies of Japan, China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Lying at the transit point of this colossal activity, Bangladesh is, therefore, ideally positioned to play its role as a facilitator of regional growth and thereby enrich itself, too.
The entire South Asia was once connected by a huge railway network. After the British colonialists left the sub-continent, it became segregated. In the process, Bangladesh, too, has remained in a state of isolation from the rest of South Asia, so far as communications through railway is concerned. But the scenario is now set for a big shift. Such optimism emanates from the fact that Bangladesh has signed the intergovernmental agreement to join the Trans-Asian Railway Network (TAR). It is worthwhile to note that TAR is a UN-sponsored project to connect major urban and industrial centres as well as important sea and land ports of Asia and Europe. Once Bangladesh is connected to this huge network of about 81,000-km railway system interlinking Asia and Europe, it will be able to come out of the communicational time warp that it had been trapped into so long.
The idea of interlinking the economic hubs of the two continents is however not new. It was conceived in the sixth decade of the last century. But the actual work to materialise the idea progressed at a snail's pace. Hope was high that work for TAR would gain speed with the end of the Cold War. But various internal problems including conflicts and social unrest and cross-border tension within and among many Asian nations have delayed the process to start the project. However, the first step in this direction was taken last year when 10 nations inked the agreement in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Bangladesh is the 20th out of the 28 Asian countries to have signed the deal.
Where does Bangladesh stand in this huge scheme of railway network passing through 28 Asian nations before its entry into Europe? TAR network will cross into Bangladesh from three entry points all of them situated on the Bangladesh-India border and exiting though Gundhum on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. According to this design, Bangladesh is therefore considered as the transit route between the two fastest growing economic giants of the world, India and China. This is undoubtedly a big opportunity for Bangladesh. The country can be hugely benefited if it is able to make optimum use of its connectivity through TAR with especially these two economies as well as others with judiciousness.
The Chief of the UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), which looks after TAR, envisages hauling of different kinds of minerals on a massive scale between the roaring economies of Japan, China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Lying at the transit point of this colossal activity, Bangladesh is, therefore, ideally positioned to play its role as a facilitator of regional growth and thereby enrich itself, too.