Speakers at a seminar on Saturday lauded the four-nation Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) terming it a ‘big-boost’ in political movement towards materialising the concept of regional and sub-regional connectivity in South Asia.  
The MVA was inked in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan on June 15 to connect Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN).
“It (MVA) is a big-boost in political movement in raising connectivity. It is finally going to be operational, which we have been talking about since long,” said Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguish Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), at a seminar styled “Trade Facilitation in South Asia through Transport Connectivity” held at BRAC Centre Inn in the capital.
Leaders of business community, officials, civil society members and SAARC nation diplomats and other relevant stakeholders attended the seminar, presided over by CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan.
Debapriya, in his course of speech, underscored the need for establishing a competent coordination mechanism for comprehensive tariff planning and management for use of road, wail, water and marine routes.
Speaking as chief guest, Minister for Road Transport and Bridge Obaidul Quader also expressed high hopes over the long-term benefit for the country and other counterparts from the BBIN-MVA initiatives on completion of the establishments of necessary infrastructures.
According to primary estimation, the entire MVA will cost $8.8 billion for setting up infrastructures. The cost will be shared by the four countries; of which Bangladesh may need around $2 billion.
Quader said Bangladesh will get finance from India to establish infrastructures for facilitating the MVA. “All highways linking Padma Bridge, Mongla port and Syedpur airport will be renovated to four-lane from existing two-lanes,” he said.
All the parties of the initiative in joint statement have renewed their commitment to substantially enhance regional connectivity in a seamless manner through building and upgrading roads, railways, waterways, energy grids and air links to ensure smooth cross-border flow of goods, services, capital, technology and people.
They also agreed to involve immediately respective authorities to initiate national, regional, and sub-regional measures to establish the seamless connectivity.
Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran said the June 15 Thimphu signing brought four nations to move forward the concept of connectivity to practicality from seminars and symposiums.
He reiterated his government’s stance over the Line of Credit (LoC), saying, “Projects under LoC will be at choice of the government of Bangladesh. This is a normal practice.”
“However, two key objectives of the LoC are expansion of trade and growth of this sub-region,” he said.