Repair of Highways
Abul finds foreign fund is solution
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain told the parliament yesterday that his ministry will be able to repair all roads across the country properly if the finance minister gives clearance to take foreign funds.
The minister came up with the new idea after a call attention notice on battered Dhaka-Mymensingh highway by Jatiya Party MP Mujib-ul-Haque.
In his response, the minister regretted for people's sufferings but reiterated that fund crisis and heavy monsoon rain were responsible for the sorry state of the country's roads.
About the JP lawmaker's proposal of bringing foreign funds, the minister said Tk 5,100 crore is needed for repairing roads across the country every year.
"In contrary, I got only Tk 690 crore this year", he said.
"But I will be able to repair the country's all roads Insha'Allah (God willing) by taking foreign funds if the finance minister agrees".
In an effort to give a comparison of dilapidated roads of Dhaka and Kolkata, the minister said people are cultivating paddy on different roads of Kolkata. Ponds-like potholes have also been created there where people are fishing, he said.
Describing the horrific conditions of roads, especially Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, the JP lawmaker said, "It seems there is no department styled Roads and Highway under the communications ministry whose responsibility is to maintain and repair roads".
"The people are stricken by fear that they will not be able to go home safely during the Eid vacation", he said.
He called upon the minister to take foreign funds if necessary to repair the country's roads.
Without naming Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, the Jatiya Party MP sharply criticised the minister's recent advocacy for indiscriminate issuance of 20,000 driving licences.
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