Bangladesh will get benefits of Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane Highway from Dec: Quader

Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader expects that Bangladesh will start getting the economic benefits of the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway from December itself.

He expressed the hope at an agreement signing ceremony with four Japanese companies for the construction of bridges for the highway in Dhaka on Wednesday.

He termed the agreement an important ‘milestone’ for Bangladesh’s road and transportation system.

The minister noted the project was “very challenging” but that the government was going ahead with it braving “all odds.”

He stated that work on 158 kms of the 192 kms stretch of road had been completed.

“I hope commuters and our economy will start getting the benefits of this highway from December itself,” the minister added.

Bangladesh has signed agreements with Japan to construct a second bridge at Kanchpur, and two others on the Meghna and Gumti rivers.

The construction of the new bridges and repairs to existing ones as well as the building of a flyover at Kanchpur intersection will cost Tk 85.5 billion.

Japan will bear Tk 65 billion of the costs.

“These three new bridges will be very important for the key Dhaka-Chittagong Highway,” Quader said.