The pattern of development in these countries, their evolving political systems, the nature of the post-colonial economy, ineffective welfare state policies, as well as the absence of speedy reforms have created certain structural problems that span the entire Bay of Bengal mainland. Weaknesses such as poor governance; lack of infrastructure development; corruption and ineffective legal systems; inadequate human resource management; unfavourable balance of payments due to agro-based economies; widespread poverty and unequal distribution of wealth — all of these tend to reinforce doubts about prospects for intra-BIMSTEC trade.