BD, Bhutan, India, Nepal ink BBIN pact

The much-awaited Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) motor vehicle agreement has been signed in Thimphu on Monday. Bangladesh’s Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, India’s Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and the transport ministers of Bhutan and Nepal inked the deal in the Bhutanese capital in the afternoon, paving the way of free movement of both people and goods among the four SAARC member countries. The signing of the pack by the four nations contrasts the SAARC’s collective failure to ink such a deal in last Novemver’s summit, blamed mainly on Pakistan’s reservations. The BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement will facilitate the transportation of both people and goods among the four South Asian countries. India’s cabinet had on Wednesday approved the signing of the pact, a long-pending issue of these four countries. There transport ministers will sign the agreement in the Bhutanese capital. Interestingly, SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement was approved during the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in November, 2014. However, it could not be signed because of reservations expressed by the government of Pakistan. The SAARC declaration at the Kathmandu summit encouraged member states to initiate regional and sub-regional measures to enhance such connectivity. Hence, it was considered appropriate to pursue a sub-regional Motor Vehicle Agreement among BBIN. Subsequently, a meeting of BBIN transport secretaries was organised by the ministry of road transport and highways in Delhi in February to discuss and finalise the text of the draft agreement. The signing of the BBIN deal will promote safe, economical, efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the sub-region and help each country in creating an institutional mechanism for regional integration. According to the agreement, each country will bear its own cost arising from the implementation of the agreement.