Infrastructural link with Yangon

The 130-kilometre road is being laid not merely to connect Myanmar but also as part of road links encompassing neighbouring Thailand, China and other East Asian countries.

One crucial part of the undertaking would be a 20-kilometre road linkup with the main route of the Asian highway. Bangladesh is to assist Myanmar in laying the road in its own interest; otherwise, the Trans-Asian highway would go through India bypassing Bangladesh.

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This joint venture project at an estimated total cost of Tk 136.34crore on materialisation would be the first major stride the two countries will have made towards expanding bilateral trade and increasing inter-penetration of their markets, objectives that have remained unfulfilled almost entirely because of lack of infrastructure linkage between Dhaka and Myanmar.

What we envision are multiple benefits from the project. It will open up trade-cum-tourist route to Myanmar and beyond, thereby helping Bangladesh's Look East policy acquire a practical dimension breaking out of the shell of mere ideas. An entirely new vista will open for Bangladesh with a multiplicity of direct contacts likely to be established across South East Asia by virtue of the road link to Myanmar.

Let's see the project implemented at the earliest convenience of the two governments, given the enormous benefit to accrue to both sides.