Political and foreign policy analysts yesterday said the government should consider costs for the environment and land use while fixing the fees on transit to India.
The suggestion was made ahead of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka early September when a framework agreement on transit is likely to be sealed.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during her visit to India early 2010, agreed to provide one-time transit from Ashuganj to Agartala. Fifteen land and rail routes were also identified for India to this effect.
Dilara Chowdhury, former professor of governance and politics of Jahangirnagar University, said India says "the land routes are transits and should be treated under the World Trade Organisation (WTO)" and wants waiver on transit fees.
But debates surface because according to the WTO transits are routes going from one country through another country to a third country, she said, in her keynote presentation.
On the other hand, corridors are conventionally defined as routes going from one country through another country to the country of origin, said Prof Dilara.
"So, India should be charged transit fees along with other fees. We must consider the land use and environmental costs too".
Prof Dilara made the observations at a seminar titled "Upcoming Manmohan's visit: Veracity and prospects" organised by South Asia Youth for Peace and Prosperity Society (Saypp) at the city's Jatiya Press Club.
Brig Gen (retd) Shahedul Anam Khan, editor of Defense and Strategic Affairs of The Daily Star; Nurul Kabir, editor of the New Age; Prof Syed Anwar Hossain, editor of the daily sun; journalists Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury and Mostafa Kamal Majumder, and Saypps President Shabnam Azim also spoke.
Source : The Daily Star
