The reasons: (a) Bhutan is yet to announce the formal sanction of certain procedures already approved by its neighbours and (b) Bangladesh is yet to process of beginning the proposed Dhaka-Siliguri bus link. But for these glitches, which are about to be sorted out, the intra-regional transport network could have begun from February itself.

For India, the situation is somewhat ironic. When China and Bangladesh were pushing hard to get the proposed BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) economic corridor off the ground, they pointed to an apparent reluctance of India to clear some of the proposed transport linkages and routes. The BCIM, like the BBIN, is very much a work in progress. It was conceptualised and announced earlier than the BBIN.

But through the BBIN, there can be no denying that India has stolen a march over China by completing most of the formalities and bringing the project to a pre-launch stage. Official authorities in the countries involved maintain that the two projects can be complementary, not necessarily competitive. Both have an identical objective: to improve and accelerate communication among the peoples of the region, aiming at strengthening their economies.

However, unconfirmed reports have been in circulation suggesting that India was dragging its feet BCIM corridor project. This explained its delay in upgrading the roads and highways especially in North Bengal areas. In the long term, India also feared that with their larger base of industrial production and stronger economy, the Chinese would dominate the markets along the corridor.

Whatever the explanation, now it is India’s turn to point the finger at Bangladesh and Bhutan for taking too long to complete their part of the agreed formalities and details in the BBIN agreement. Not that India is about to complain officially, although it is learnt to have taken up the matter diplomatically.

The BBIN in terms of its ambit, vision and objectives, is far less ambitious than the BCIM. It aims at easing existing travelling conditions by doing away with red tape and remove old, time-consuming procedures, unlike the more strategically important BCIM. This is the major reason why it was relatively easier to work out almost instant agreement among all the countries.

With Bhutan’s final approval, the movement of people and goods between itself and Nepal through Indian territory to Bangladesh could begin immediately. Bangladesh is particularly keen to access these countries for tourism and trade reasons.

As for the proposed Dhaka-Siliguri new bus route, all arrangements are complete on the Indian side. But Bangladesh is yet to take care of some details. According to the new agreement, a journey from Siliguri would link Bangladesh through the Phulbari-Banglabandha section of the border instead of the present detour through the Changrabandha region. This would reduce the distance between Siliguri and Dhaka by 110 kilometres. Passengers would travel only 500 kms which means Dhaka would be closer to Siliguri than Kolkata, located at well over 630 kms from Siliguri! Even Bangladesh districts like Rangpur, Bogra and Chittagong would be easier to access from India and vice versa.

At present, people journeying from India through Changrabandha have to dismount from their buses, cross the border with whatever luggage they carry and report to Bangladesh authorities for the customary checking and reloading. This is time consuming. Only then they are allowed to board a bus provided by Bangladesh authorities and proceed. The process costs an individual about Rs 1,200 in terms of fees and other formalities.

This would not be necessary after the new arrangement comes into effect, which will save both time and money for people in both countries.

North Bengal State Transport Corporation(NBSTC) authorities are ready to kick off right away, according to NBSTC Chairman Sourav Chakravarty. The necessary infrastructure to enable travellers from Dhaka to Siliguri and then proceed further to Kaknkarbhita in Nepal, is already in place, he says.

The immediate outcome would be a quantum jump in the volume of tourism in all four countries, trade and business apart. Spokesmen of the East Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators” Association point to the large numbers of Bangladeshi students at present studying in Darjeeling, a similar traffic of people for receiving quality treatment from hospitals in India , apart from regular or casual tourists, or relatives living on both sides of the border, who would benefit from the BBIN.

In fact they expect that foreign and domestic tourists from Bangladesh access directly not only Darjeeling, but also visit new destinations like the picturesque Terai and Dooars, not to mention the local forests, the Jaldapara Rhino sanctuary or take up river rafting on the Teesta.

People from India too can savour the delights of travelling in Bangladesh, enjoy the magnificence of its large mighty rivers and the idyllic charms of Chittagong region. (IPA Service)