Bangladesh wants to Join India Myanmar Thailand Trilateral Highway – Burning Issues – Free PDF Download

• Bangladesh is interested in joining the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway to enhance connectivity with Southeast Asia, which would open a new chapter in trans-border corridors in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Dhaka’s expressed interest to join IMT— during prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s virtual summit with her counterpart Narendra Modi on Thursday.
• She sought India’s support to enable Bangladesh to join the initiative, according to the joint statement issued at the end of the summit.
• “A road belt consisting of India, Myanmar and Thailand is under-construction. India proposed to us earlier to join it. But the then Khaleda Zia-government refused it. Our trade and commerce will see a boost if the road is built. We need to be involved in the road belt considering our strategic interests,” Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters.

The IMT Highway

• It is an ambitious project and it will open the gate to ASEAN through the land. It is a part of India’s Act East Policy.
• It will be four-lane highway which is approximately 1,360 km (850 mi).

• India has also proposed extending the highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam further while extending it to UP in India.

 Why Bangladesh wants to join it now?

• BCIM: As Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar has made scant progress.
• India’s decision to skip the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) may have led to the exclusion of the BCIM Economic corridor from the list of projects covered by the BRI.

 BBIN {Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal}

• Bangladesh also wants trucks with its goods to enter Bhutan and Nepal through India.
• It would promote Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) road connectivity as part of sub-regional cooperation.

• To facilitate better connectivity and simplify movement of passengers and goods between both the countries, both leaders agreed to an early operationalization of the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement through expeditious signing of the Enabling MoU for Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

• India Increasing links with Bangladesh
• India and Bangladesh have been making efforts to enhance transport and connectivity. There has been significant advances achieved in the connectivity area in the recent months, especially in railway connectivity, connectivity using ports and inland waterways connectivity.

Conclusion

•  One thing is for sure, Indo Bangladesh relations are on the rise. However, it remains to be seen whether the three countries would be open to Bangladesh joining the IMT Highway.

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