Bhutan withdraws from BBIN for the moment

Bhutan has finally pulled out for now from the BBIN motor vehicles agreement leaving Bangladesh, India and Nepal to go ahead with the sub-regional pact.

The decision followed Bhutan’s domestic resistance to ratify the agreement.

Recognising the importance of connectivity for expansion of economic cooperation, the transport ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal signed the “Motor Vehicles Agreement for Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal” (BBIN MVA), on June 15 in 2015 in Thimphu.

“While the three other countries have already ratified the Agreement, the Royal Government of Bhutan is in the process of completing its internal procedures for ratification, to address the concerns raised by the domestic stakeholders,” said a Bhutan foreign ministry statement.

“In the meanwhile, to facilitate the early implementation of BBIN MVA, the Royal Government has decided to give its consent for the entry into force of the Agreement among the three member states (Bangladesh, India and Nepal) without any obligation to Bhutan. The Agreement will enter into force for Bhutan after its ratification process is completed,” it read.

The foreign ministry said Bhutan views BBIN as a platform, encompassing key areas such as energy, trade, information, communication and technology.

“Strengthening regional cooperation is especially significant for a landlocked country like Bhutan and, therefore, the Royal Government remains fully committed to the BBIN process including BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement”.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her state visit appealed to Bhutan to clear the BBIN-MVA.

Bhutan earlier ratified the agreement on its second attempt in the lower house in July 2016, but the upper house blocked it in November.