Dhaka-Ctg Highway
Upgradation by Dec 2013
Says communications minister
Communications and Railways Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the bulk portion of works for upgradation of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to four lanes will be completed by December 2013.
He was speaking as chief guest at a workshop titled “Regional Consultative Workshop on Private Sector Development” jointly organised by Economic Relations Department (ERD), a division of the Ministry of Finance, and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) at a hotel in Chittagong.
The pace of the works has a bit slowed down due to the rainy season now, he said adding that the project will get adequate budgetary allocations in the upcoming national budget.
Obaidul Quader said the government has taken a 20-year master plan to renovate roads in the country.
With financial supports from Asian Development Bank (ADB), the roads will renovated costing Tk76 thousand crore, he said.
The minister said the renovation works of Kalurghat Bridge over Karnaphuli River will be beginning soon.
An approach road would also be built for ferry services, he said.
Quader said the feasibility study for constructing a tunnel under the river is now at final stage. The tunnel will be constructed on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.
A circular train service in Chittagong city will be launched by December this year, he said.
Urging the donor agencies to invest in Chittagong, Quader said the city has a huge potential.
Terming the Chittagong city as commercial hub, he said, "We need smooth connectivity all over the country, and it will attract tourists from home and abroad".
With IDB's regional director Ahmed Saleh Hariri in the chair, Kazi Shafiqul Azim, additional secretary at ERD, Matiul Islam, former finance secretary, Mahbubul Alam, and senior vice president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), among others spoke on the occasion.
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