Implementation of the four-nation motor vehicle agreement (MVA) is once again facing interruption as Nepal seeks time to further scrutinise the sub-regional deal.
Sources said the passenger protocol of the MVA, which was due to be signed by three out of the four member states in April, has been facing delay.
The protocol is part of the Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal (BBIN) network aimed at greater regional connectivity.
They said Nepal's new government is yet to give green signal for signing the protocol and complete other formalities to make the MVA work.
"The new government now wants to study more on the BBIN MVA especially the reasons why Bhutan refrained from joining the sub-regional forum," said an official.
He, however, expressed optimism about removal of hindrances soon.
Nepal formed the new government in February two months after a general election.
But the sources said the new Nepalese government wants to discuss the letter of exchange in parliament before signing the agreement following Bhutan's abstaining from joining the forum.
They said the government informed the matter to the members of a delegation who were on board a passenger bus during a trial run on the Dhaka-Kathmandu route in April.
Earlier, in a meeting held in India's Bengaluru on January 10-11, Bangladesh, India and Nepal agreed to start the procedures for the passenger movement in three countries with the scope for Bhutan joining the forum later on.
As per the deal, the three nations were supposed to comment on the draft passenger protocol by January 31 and make as much as trial run possible in the three nations from April to June.
Comments to formulate draft cargo protocol was also supposed to be completed by April.
Except the Bangladesh and Nepal bus trial run in April, no other such trip has been made or planned to date.
Sources said no date has been fixed to sign the passenger protocol. However, a letter of exchange is supposed to be signed in June to make the MVA effective without Bhutan.
The letter of exchange is supposed to be added to the agreement after Bhutan's rejection to join the sub-regional forum.
The ministries of road transport and bridges of the member countries, the lead agencies of the BBIN MVA, are yet to get the final draft of the letter of exchange.
BBIN MVA was signed by the transport ministers of the four South Asian countries in Thimphu, Bhutan, on June 15, 2015, with the mission to ensure seamless flow of passenger and cargo traffic in the region.
Bangladesh, India and Nepal ratified the agreement but Bhutan's parliament has not done it yet.
However, Bhutan expressed no objection to other members to execute the deal. The Himalayan country joined the meeting in last January as an observer.
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