The objective of the deal is to develop transport communications in Asian and its surrounding countries, gradually connecting the European countries with the trans-border railway, which will enter Bangladesh from three directions in the west and get out through a single gateway on the eastern front.

The meeting asked the foreign ministry to take necessary steps to sign the treaty, according to Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim.

The three routes passing through Bangladesh under the treaty are 1) Gede (West Bengal, India)-Darshana (Kushtia, Bangladesh)-Iswardi-Jamuna Bridge-Joydevepur-Akhaura-Chittagong-Dohazari-Gundhum-Myanmar, 2) Singabad (West Bengal)-Rajshahi (Bangladesh)-Iswardi-Jamuna Bridge-Joydevpur-Akhaura-Chittagong-Dohazari-Ghundum-Myanmar and 3) Radhikapur(West Bengal)-Dinajpur-Iswardi-Jamuna Bridge-Joydevpur-Akhaura-Chittagong-Dohazari-Gundhum-Myanmar.

Eighteen countries, including China, Nepal, Iran and Indonesia, signed the deal in South Korea in 2006.

The deadline for signing the agreement by other interested countries was set from November 2006 to December 2008. The countries will have to ink the accord at the UN headquarters in New York.

Chaired by Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed, the meeting also discussed the option for modernising the Trademark Law that was enacted in 1940. "Now the law is not functionally acceptable in line with international guidelines," officials said.

A committee headed by the industries secretary was formed to prepare a draft of the Trademark Ordinance 2007 in line with the guidelines of the trade related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

The committee has been asked to submit the draft by June 30.

During the meeting, ways of making the government pension process easier and expediting its action were also discussed so that pensioners can get their annuity "timely and smoothly".

The CA directed the authorities concerned to take necessary action in this regard and urged the ministries to prepare separate lists of pensioners of the respective ministries.

Members of the Council of Advisers, the cabinet secretary and the secretaries concerned attended the meeting at the CA's office.