Possible benefits from TAR
Thursday, 15 November 2007
A notable progress has taken place in road communication with the neighbouring countries. Another dimension was added to it after the governments of Bangladesh and India took steps to resume rail communication between the two countries. But it proved a new starter due to India's obsession to barb friendship as well as railway relinking.
The Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) project is expected to connect us with an 81,000 km network through three entry points in West Bengal of India, Gede, Singabad and Radhikapur. The TAR is expected to make communication possible from Europe to East and Southeast Asia through railway. Bangladesh is the 20th signatory for the project. Eight other countries are yet to sign the agreement due to 'procedural' and 'technical' matters. To make this rail network a reality member countries also need to sign bilateral agreement.
Bangladesh was always keen to be on the rail network.
The TAR enters Bangladesh from three directions from the Indian state of West Bengal and exits through a single gateway in the east at Gundhum, Myanmar. The routes go through industrial centres in the north and south-west of the country and run through the capital's outskirts of Joydevpur and Chittagong. So there would be some benefits for Bangladesh as well.
So, it is now the prime task of the government to determine -- how it would move further and negotiate with member countries including the neighbouring countries to get highest possible benefits from TAR. Our success being the part of network is totally dependent on the government's ability to consider our national interest during the negotiations and signing of agreements with the member countries. It is also important that the next government should continue this negotiation in the long-term perspective.
Shahinur Hossain
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
The Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) project is expected to connect us with an 81,000 km network through three entry points in West Bengal of India, Gede, Singabad and Radhikapur. The TAR is expected to make communication possible from Europe to East and Southeast Asia through railway. Bangladesh is the 20th signatory for the project. Eight other countries are yet to sign the agreement due to 'procedural' and 'technical' matters. To make this rail network a reality member countries also need to sign bilateral agreement.
Bangladesh was always keen to be on the rail network.
The TAR enters Bangladesh from three directions from the Indian state of West Bengal and exits through a single gateway in the east at Gundhum, Myanmar. The routes go through industrial centres in the north and south-west of the country and run through the capital's outskirts of Joydevpur and Chittagong. So there would be some benefits for Bangladesh as well.
So, it is now the prime task of the government to determine -- how it would move further and negotiate with member countries including the neighbouring countries to get highest possible benefits from TAR. Our success being the part of network is totally dependent on the government's ability to consider our national interest during the negotiations and signing of agreements with the member countries. It is also important that the next government should continue this negotiation in the long-term perspective.
Shahinur Hossain
Dhanmondi, Dhaka