Bangladesh is Interested to join Trilateral Highway with India, Myanmar and Thailand
News Desk
Considering its strategic interests and enhancing connectivity between South and South East Asia, Bangladesh has expressed interest to join the ongoing India Myanmar Thailand trilateral highway project. In a joint statement issued at the end of Virtual talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the interest to join the India Myanmar Thailand trilateral highway project has been expressed. And, in the same spirit, India has requested the neighboring country to allow connectivity from West Bengal (Hilli) to Meghalaya (Mahendraganj) via Bangladesh.
Since India has been working towards increasing its engagements with South East Asia under its `Act East Policy’ the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the region.
This highway is expected to help greatly in the transport connectivity – 1, 3660 km long cross border highway network and is currently under construction, expected to be completed by 2021.
It will be linking Moreh (India) -Bagan (Myanmar) -Mae Sot (Thailand) and India has agreed to help build two vital road sections-Kalewa-Yagyi of 120 km, and 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK). From Indian side the work is going on since 2017 and according to sources by 2021 it is expected to be completed. The decision to extend the Trilateral Highway to Lao PDR and Cambodia to help deepen the India-ASEAN Relations was taken at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2012.
To commemorate the historic significance of the road from Mujib Nagar to Nodia on Bangladesh-India border during the Liberation War, the neighbouring country has proposed to name it as “Shadhinota Shorok”.
Also at the one-day virtual summit, India requested for one Land Port with a minimal negative list, beginning with Agartala-Akhaura and for transportation of goods from Chattogram port to the North East of India, it has proposed that its trucks use the Feni Bridge, on completion.
It has been decided that the recently-constituted High Level Monitoring Committee headed by Secretary, Economic Relations Division from Bangladesh and the High Commissioner of India in Dhaka will regularly review the progress of the LOC Projects for their early completion.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is a significant and under-construction project among three countries which plays a significant role in India’s “Look East” policy. The Government of India, Myanmar and Thailand proposed the project for transport connectivity and agreed upon funding the 1,360 km long cross-border highway network, which will link Moreh (India) -Bagan (Myanmar) -Mae Sot (Thailand). India agreed upon to build two vital road sections – Kalewa-Yagyi distancing 120 km, and 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road of this trilateral highway project. The work on both the projects are underway since 2017 and is expected to be completed by 2021. During the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2012, a decision was taken to extend the Trilateral Highway to Lao PDR and Cambodia to enhance integration between ASEAN and India.