Asian Highway
Recently Bangladesh has decided to join with the Asian Highway system. The network of Asian Highway, known as the Great Asian Highway is a set-up of 141,000 km of standardized road ways crossing 32 Asian countries. The Ministry of Communications of Bangladesh has finalized three proposed routes crossing Bangladesh. These are AH1, AH2 & AH41. The 495 km AH1 from India would go through Benapole Jessore Dhaka Sylhet Tamabil. The 805 km AH2 from India would join Hati Kumrul Dhaka Kachpur Sylhet Tamabil. The 752 km AH41, also from India, will link Mongla Jessore Hati kumrul Dhaka Kachpur Chittagong Cox's Bazar Teknaf with Myanmar. The international sea ports, Chittagong & Mongla, will be connected to AH1 & AH2 by AH4, so that the ports can serve the regional needs if required. It is expected that the sophisticated highway system would ensure greater trade & social exchange between Asian countries. The AH will open up huge economic opportunities through providing shorter routes for movement of goods & passengers leading to huge savings in transport costs. However, it would be native to think that the AH would bring huge turnover for our country, rather it can be ominous, if we fail to make right decisions & choose right routes in the highway system. It is like allowing transit and corridor in the name of Asian Highway.
Therefore Bangladesh should re-consider its decision.
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