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ASIAN HIGHWAY

Dhaka wants change of route before ratifying

RAFIQ HASAN
Bangladesh wants an amendment made to the Asian Highway's routes across its territory before ratifying the agreement on the highway connecting 42 Asian countries with Europe.
All its neighbours, including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, have already ratified the agreement spawned by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap). The deadline for ratifying the agreement is December 31.
The main reason for Dhaka's reluctance to join the Asian Highway club is its reservations about giving transit to India, communications ministry sources said.
They said the roads proposed as part of the Asian Highway come into Bangladesh from India and also returns to it. So, they observed, if
Dhaka ratifies the agreement with the present conditions in place, it would be most likely to provide transit facilities to India.
The main Asian Highway route proposed across Bangladesh starts from Benapole and ends at Tamabil via Dhaka. Another route is also in the map running from Banglabandha to Tamabil via Dhaka.
But Bangladesh strongly wants to include Dhaka-Yangon via Teknaf route to be also declared as part of the highway. Bangladesh has already undertaken an initiative to develop the route and constructed a road up to Myanmar border.
Dhaka also has extended technical and financial assistance to Yangon for developing the route, including constructing 23 kilometre road inside Myanmar.
But Myanmar is yet to sign any formal agreement with Bangladesh on construction of the proposed Dhaka-Yangon road. A high-powered Bangladeshi delegation last month visited Myanmar but failed to get any agreement signed in this regard.
Dhaka is also trying to persuade Myanmar and Thailand to recognise the Dhaka- Yangon highway as a useful part of the Asian Highway.
Meanwhile, urged by the foreign ministry to try to convince the countries concerned for bringing in the desired changes in the highway routes and to ratify the agreement, the communications ministry has called an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the issue next week.
To ratify the agreement, the ministry will have to get an approval from the cabinet. So, a proposal for signing the agreement would be placed before the cabinet soon, the sources said. Experts fear that Bangladesh may miss out on this international road network because of its dilemma. Besides, New Delhi has also been wooing Myanmar, promising helps in building roads.
The experts also say that Bangladesh may also lose significant foreign currency that could be earned by providing port, road and railway services for international traffic across its territory.
"If Bangladesh is not linked to the highway, the investors would think twice before they bankroll, because of difficulties in carrying in raw materials and marketing finished goods," said an expert.