The operational activities at the much-hyped Payra Seaport, the third seaport of the country, began on Saturday, which is expected to gear up export and import, and goods transportation.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the operational activities of the third seaport at Payra in Patuakhali from her official residence Ganobhaban through a video conference.Besides, she inaugurated the country’s first eight-lane highway from Jatrabari to Kanchpur through a videoconferencing at Ganobhaban.From the same programme, Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the construction works on a four-lane highway from Jatrabari intersection to Mawa, including Ikuria-Babubazar link, and upgradation of Pachhar-Bhanga highway with a separate service lane on both ways for slow-moving vehicles which is also known as Padma Bridge link road.After the inaugural programme of Pyra Port in presence of Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan at the Ganobhaban, the Pyra Port Authority received its first ocean vessel MV Fortune Bird coming from China with 53,300 tonnes of crushed black stones for the Padma Bridge project.The port is also expected to reduce the pressure on the country’s two other sea ports-Chittagong and Mongla-facilitate transit- ensuring economic and social development of the country’s southern and central parts.According to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, the Road Transport and Highways Department implemented the 7.20-km eight-lane highway project from Jatrabari-Kanchpur at a cost of Tk 131.99 crore. Roads and Highways Department and the Special Works Organization (West) of Bangladesh Army will jointly implement the Padma Bridge Link Road project by April 2019 at an estimated cost of Tk 6252.28 crore. The 55-kilometer highway will go through Dhaka, Munshiganj, Madaripur and Faridpur upazilas and it would have six flyovers, four railway overpasses, 15 underpasses and three interchanges. This will be the country’s first such expressway without any traffic crossover, facilitating uninterrupted vehicular movement. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also inaugurated hundred percent electrification of Tungipara of Gopalganj, Bandar of Narayanganj, Adarsha Sadar under Comilla, Bholahat of Chapainababganj, Polah Upazila of Narsingdi and Boalkhali in Chittagong.Besides, Sheikh Hasina formally opened the activities of a project titled ‘Setting upof Sheikh Rassel Digital Lab’ in all educational institutions being implemented under the Directorate of Information and Communication Technology.Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, PM’s Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Posts and Telecommunications Ministry Imran Ahmed and Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq and Navy chief Rear Admiral Mohammad Nizamuddin Ahmed also spoke at the programme.
