India, Japan must enhance quality of economic cooperation: Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India and Japan must consider ways to enhance the quality of their economic cooperation in a world under flux.
Considering the importance of better transport system, Bangladesh, India and Nepal governments have decided to operate more cargo and passenger buses on many important routes among the three countries.
Last week, senior officials of Bangladesh, India and Nepal governments held a high-level meeting at Paribahan Bhavan for introducing cargo and passenger bus services to enhance regional connectivity.
The meeting was convened for better implementation of BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement which was signed in June 2015. Senior officials of the countries have decided to operate passenger bus services from Dhaka to Kathmandu via Fulbari, Panitanki and Kakravita, from Guwahati to Kolkata via Shillong, Dawki, Dhaka, Benapole and Petrapole and from Chittagong to Silliguri via Dhaka, Burimari.
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They are planning to introduce cargo bus service on many routes, including Dhaka to Kathmandu, Dhaka to Durgapur and Chittagong to Kolkata. Senior officials of both Bangladesh and India expressed their interest for introducing cargo bus services from Kolkata to Chittagong which is an important port area in Bangladesh, a senior transport department official said.
The officials expressed interest for introducing passenger and cargo bus services on many important tourist spots of the three countries for better regional cooperation.
Senior officials of Bangladesh and India also discussed various ongoing problems for operating existing bus services from Kolkata to Dhaka.
Passengers travelling from Dhaka to Kolkata are often harassed by middlemen, a senior transport department official said. Many important issues were discussed at the meeting like setting up more immigration centres, fuelling stations and road side hotels and restaurants to ensure hassle free journey of passengers from Kolkata to Dhaka. The Asian Development Bank is providing technical and financial assistance support to the BBIN MVA initiative.
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