BBIN routes to operate from next January: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said cargoes as well as passenger-carrying and personal vehicles from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will be able to travel across each other`s borders from next January.

"The vehicles carrying passengers and cargoes will cross borders in accordance with the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) motor vehicle agreement," he told newsmen at a press briefing in his ministry conference room here.

He said the government has approved the motor vehicles agreement (MVA) for regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, on August 24 and the deal was signed at a meeting of the BBIN transport ministers on July 15, 2015 in Thimphu.

The minister said a passenger vehicle trial run would be commenced in October and a cargo vehicle trial in November before the formal opening of the four countries` cross borders routes in January.

He said the proposed route would be Mongla Port-Khulna-Hatikumrul-Bogra-Rangpur-Burhimari/Chengrhabanda (India)-Jaigaon (India)/Phuentsholing (Bhutan)-Thimphu (Bhutan) for cargo vehicle trial run.

A BBIN Friendship Motor Rally would begin in the four countries on November 14 from Bhubaneswar in Odisha province, targeting the implementation of the BBIN agreement, Obaidul Quader added.

Highlighting the development works, the minister said the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is set to start in February, as the tender for this project would be floated at the end of this month.

The government has also completed the feasibility study on Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway, he said.

Besides, the government has decided to begin construction of 2nd Kanchpur and 2nd Meghna-Gumti bridges in November, 2015, while the Paira Bridge is set for December.

Secretary of the ministry MAN Siddique and officials concerned were present at the briefing.