The cabinet is likely to take the crucial decision on whether or not to join the giant international road network, the Asian Highway, at today's weekly meeting.

“A proposal has been sent to the cabinet division for its approval and it is likely to be placed before [today's] cabinet meeting,” said a foreign ministry source.

“It has been sent to the cabinet as it depends on the political decision if we at all want to join such an international forum,” the source said requesting anonymity.

The deadline for signing the United Nations Economic and Social Commission on Asia Pacific (UN-ESCAP) agreement on the

Asian Highway is set for December 31.

According to sources, if Bangladesh signs the UN-ESCAP agreement, the country will be a part of the huge international road network, connecting 32 Asian countries with Europe, and gain all economic benefits from it.

Bangladesh was first reluctant to sign the agreement, worrying over the transit issue, while all neighbouring countries have already signed it.

Sources said the government was in a dilemma that signing the agreement might ultimately result in giving transit to India, which is against the political stand of the ruling four-party coalition.

If today's meeting decides to join the network, an authorised person will go to the UN headquarters in New York and formally sign the agreement.

“The main advantage of joining such an international network is to become a part of the international community,” said Dr Rahmatullah, former director (transport) of the UN-ESCAP.

If Bangladesh does not sign the agreement, besides losing the opportunity of gaining huge economic benefit, it will also lose the right of bringing any amendment and including any road to the network in future, he added.

Earlier, Dhaka wanted an amendment to the existing

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network before signing the agreement and tried to place it before an ESCAP meeting by third countries. However, all the countries Bangladesh approached declined to back up due to time constraints.

In the existing route of the Asian Highway, two roads will go across Bangladesh, entering at Benapole and Banglabandha and both exiting at Tamabil into India. Bangladesh wanted an alternative outlet and proposed to include the proposed Dhaka-Yangon Highway into the Asian Highway.

Rahmatulah said if Dhaka does not sign the agreement, the member countries may tend to developing road network bypassing Bangladesh. India has already developed a road network bypassing Bangladesh which will get priority from other member countries, he pointed out.

The donors and other international financial institutions will also feel discouraged to provide loan facilities for the development of roads in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Muniruzzaman, an additional foreign secretary, is going to represent Bangladesh at the UNESCAP working group meeting in Bangkok on December 14-15. As Bangladesh is yet to sign the Asian Highway agreement, he will attend the meeting as an observer, sources said.