Kathmandu, March 9 – After direct bus services with India, Nepal is now planning similar road links with Bangladesh and Tibet.
Nepal and Bangladesh are looking into signing an agreement for direct transport services between Kathmandu and Dhaka to enhance bilateral trade and tourism.
Bangladesh Commerce Minister Amir K.M. Chaudhary, who arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit Sunday, is reported to have told his Nepalese counterpart Hari Bahadur Basnet that Dhaka was upgrading roads and sprucing up infrastructure to boost such a link.
He also said work at Bangladesh’s Mangla Port is likely to be completed soon.
While Nepal last month signed an agreement with India to start direct bus services between the two countries, it is studying a transport modality agreement proposed by Bangladesh.
Nepalese businessmen say a fully operational Mangla Port would boost bilateral trade.
At present the Nepal-Bangladesh trade stands at about Nepali Rs.7 million, with copper and acrylic yarn being Kathmandu’s main export items.
Nepal is also planning to renew a decade-old agreement to start transport services to Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, a local daily said.
Though Kathmandu and Beijing signed an agreement to this effect 10 years ago, bus services never materialised and the pact will lapse this month, the Kantipur newspaper reported Tuesday.
It said a team of Nepalese experts would go to Lhasa to study the condition of Tibetan highways and determine service rates. The Nepalese government hopes to start operations by April and will ask the private sector to chip in, the daily said.
