The agreement that followed efforts over the last couple of years opens up a real possibility of a greater road network between Bangladesh and the South-East Asian countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Designed to start at Gundum in Cox's Bazar, 2 kms inside the border, and then run over 23 kms through the Myanmarese territory to Bawlibazar, the road might stretch up to Kunming of China as part of a broader tripartite scheme.

Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin and visiting Myanmar Minister for Construction Maj Gen Saw Tun put pen to the papers at the conference room of the communications ministry.

According to the agreement, the Bangladesh government will bear the entire cost estimated to be Tk 141 crore.

"The main objective is to get connected with the Asian Highway," Matin told reporters. He described the deal as a milestone step of the present caretaker government that would further strengthen relations between the two countries.

He said the previous government had taken the initiative but could not see it through. Without giving a specific time frame, he said the construction work would begin as soon as possible.

The Planning Commission will approve the project at its next meeting and soon an action plan will be prepared to that end, said the communications adviser.

He observed that the road would not only improve transport connectivity but also increase the volume of bilateral trade.

"We must continue the project if we are to link ourselves with countries like Thailand and Singapore," Gen Tun told journalists. He said it is a trilateral (Bangladesh-Myanmar-China) project. Much of its success depends on talks with China.

Matin said further discussions are necessary to implement the project. "We will discuss the matter with China at the next meeting of BCIM in Myanmar," he added.

BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar) is an international forum on regional economic cooperation among the four countries.

The adviser said Bangladesh, China and Myanmar will carry out feasibility studies on the proposed trinational (Bangladesh, India and China) road. A Chinese delegation that visited Dhaka about a month ago too have emphasised the need for having the tri-nation road and developing seaports in the region.

He said the BCIM car rally that was earlier scheduled for sometime in November, would now be held in March next year.