Scholars and policymakers from different countries of South and Southwest Asian region on Wednesday emphasised the importance of proper transport connectivity and efficient linkages for exploring untapped potential of this region. They said a multilayered regional connectivity could foster stable and optimum economic growth for Bangladesh as well as other countries of the region.
The views came at the inaugural session of policy dialogue on ‘Strengthening Transport Connectivity among the South
and Southwest Asian countries’ held at a city hotel.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies jointly organised the two-day policy dialogue.
Scholars, members of academia and policy makers from Afganistan, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey are taking part the dialogue.
Chairman of board of governors of BIISS Munshi Faiz Haque chaired the inaugural session while Tarique Ahmed Siddique, defence adviser to the prime minister, attended it as chief guest.
Mashiur Rahman, economic adviser to the prime minister, presented the keynote paper at the inaugural session while director general of BIISS Sajjadul Haque delivered the welcome speech.
Tarique Ahmed said without physical connectivity it was not possible for all the countries of South and Southwest
regions to continue economic development and face emerging development challenges of this region.
Mashiur Rahman in his paper focused on the challenges and opportunities of regional connectivity and said despite Bangladesh has transit protocols with India, Nepal and Bhutan the facilities were not used adequately for infrastructural and procedural bottlenecks.
-With New Age input
