DHAKA, July 4, 2018 (BSS) – China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) initiative will play a vital role
in increasing bilateral and multilateral trade by ensuring regional
integration, according to experts.
Connectivity initiatives in the present era are considered as a
significant prerequisite for economic development while the South Asia lags
behind in transport connectivity, trade connectivity and people-to-people
connectivity at intra-regional trade level, they told a conference.
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in
collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) organised the two-day
regional conference on ‘Importance of BRI and BBIN for South Asia’ at its
conference room in the capital.
Foreign Affairs Secretary (Bilateral and Consular) Kamrul Ahsan read out
a written speech of Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali at the inaugural
session of the conference.
BIISS Chairman Munshi Faiz Ahmad presided over the inauguration session
while its Director General Major General AKM Abdur Rahman delivered the
welcome address.
In his written speech, Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh views regional
connectivity as an important tool to achieve collective prosperity and peace
in the region and beyond. “Our geographic location puts us in a very
advantageous position as a bridge between the South Asia and the South-East
Asia regions.”
Terming connectivity an important tool for development, he said,
Bangladesh has joined and engaged with different connectivity initiatives,
including SAARC, BIMSTEC, BCIM-EC, BRI, and Trans-Asian road and railway
networks.
“To establish seamless connectivity in the sub-region, in June 2015, we
signed a Motor Vehicle Agreement, namely BBIN MVA (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-
Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement) with a lowest common denominator, among a
smaller group of more like-minded and more physically contiguous countries in
the sub-region while keeping the option of participation by other countries
open,” he said.
The Foreign Minister said the BBIN initiative will open a new era for
physical connectivity among the members of this sub-region. “Taking advantage
of flexibility, openness and comfort level for all parties, the connectivity
initiative may need to be made more widened and inclusive to create
opportunities for all countries.”
He said the BRI will foster economic connectivity and promote
industrialisation and common development of the countries and people along
the belt, building infrastructure, increasing cultural exchange and
broadening trade.
Bangladesh hopes to be benefited utilising the full potentials of this
initiative, Mahmood said.
Noting that Bangladesh is fully committed for connectivity, he said: “I
reiterate our government’s abiding commitment to peace, progress and
prosperity in the region.”
Senior officials of the different ministries, representatives from
different organisations, ambassadors, researchers, and teachers and students
from different universities participated in the open discussion of the
conference.