REGIONAL TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY: OPPORTUNITIES FOR BANGLADESH

This article examines the significant opportunities for Bangladesh that are presented by the growing push for enhanced regional transport connectivity in South and Southeast Asia. It argues that Bangladesh, due to its unique geographical location, is perfectly positioned to act as a transport and transit hub, bridging the two dynamic regions. The study explores the major regional connectivity initiatives, such as the Asian Highway Network and the Trans-Asian Railway, and analyzes their potential benefits for Bangladesh. These benefits include the generation of significant transit revenues, the development of national transport infrastructure, and the transformation of the country into a logistical hub, which would boost trade and attract foreign investment. The research also provides a candid assessment of the domestic challenges that need to be overcome to realize this potential, particularly the need to upgrade the country's own transport infrastructure and to modernize its customs and transit procedures. The analysis concludes that seizing the opportunities of regional connectivity should be a top national priority for Bangladesh.

Geography has endowed Bangladesh with a unique strategic advantage: it is a natural land bridge between the massive economies of South Asia and the dynamic economies of Southeast Asia. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the opportunities that this presents in the context of the growing international focus on regional transport connectivity. The study begins by mapping out the key proposed regional transport corridors, such as the Asian Highway, that would pass through Bangladesh, effectively connecting India and the landlocked countries of Nepal and Bhutan to Myanmar and beyond. The core of the article is a comprehensive assessment of the immense economic opportunities that would accrue to Bangladesh from becoming a regional transit hub. It quantifies the potential revenues that could be earned from transit fees. More importantly, it argues that the development of these transit corridors would have a massive positive spillover effect on the domestic economy, upgrading the country's own transport infrastructure, stimulating economic activity along the corridors, and making Bangladesh a much more attractive location for export-oriented foreign investment. The final section of the paper focuses on the necessary policy actions. It argues that to capitalize on this opportunity, Bangladesh must undertake a massive, long-term investment in its own roads, railways, and ports. It also highlights the urgent need for a simplification and modernization of its customs and transit regulations to ensure a smooth and efficient flow of goods. The paper concludes that a proactive and visionary national strategy on connectivity could be a game-changer for Bangladesh's economic future.