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Transit thru' 2-3 routes for now

Rejaul Karim Byron
Bangladesh may sign protocols with India, Nepal and Bhutan to provide the countries with transit benefits through its two to three road routes, commerce ministry sources have said.
A government assigned committee has earlier identified 17 transit routes — seven by road, seven by rail and three by waterway.
India, on the other hand, proposed in April for 15 routes, all linked to Chittagong and Mongla ports.
But the committee in a report said, all of the routes are not fit for the facilities yet. For now, it suggested allowing transit
at a limited scale.
Officials at the ministries of foreign affairs and commerce said, a framework of transit agreement may be signed alongside two to three protocols during the Indian prime minister's Dhaka visit in September.
It is also possible that only the framework will be signed during Manmohan's tour and the protocols towards the year-end, they said.
The committee, led by Tariff Commission Chairman Mujibur Rahman, in the report recommended signing of the framework before introducing the facilities.
They also suggested inking of different protocols for different routes under the framework.
Formed in November last year, the committee submitted the report to the government in April but made no recommendation on the fees to be charged for transit.
It will determine fees within next two weeks and make recommendations to the government accordingly, a Tariff Commission official said.
“I assume the agreements to be signed will be only on certain routes,” Finance Minister AMA Muhith told journalists at a views
exchange meeting at the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF).
Muhith said they will sit in August and finalise the routes for which deals will be signed.
The finance minister also said it will take time to open all the routes.
Muhith said the committee on transit submitted a primary report to the Prime Minister's economic affairs adviser and he was yet to get its copy. So, he is not in a position to say anything specific at this moment.
An official of the Tariff Commission said the framework of the agreement will contain, among other things, outlines of the routes and how those would be made operational. Besides, issues related to transit with Nepal and Bhutan will also be there.
The protocols will mention the amount of fees and other detailed modalities.
The official said, the committee will recommend separate fees for routes on rail, road and waterway. They will be charged per kilometre per tonne.
The government will finalise fees through negotiation with India following the committee recommendations.