UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the authorities concerned so that the construction of the proposed Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway and Dhaka-Chittagong Express Railway projects could ensure long-term benefits for the country’s people.
The Prime Minister gave the directives to Road Transport and Highways Division and the Ministry of Railways while addressing the officials of the two ministries at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Road Transport and Highways Secretary MAN Siddique made a power-point presentation on the proposed Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway PPP project while Railways Ministry Secretary Md Feroz Salah Uddin on the Dhaka-Chittagong Express Railway project. After the formal presentation, the Prime Minister said these two proposed mega projects will have to be implemented considering the long-term benefits of the country and its people.
She said, it is not the amount or the project cost, but the benefits of people that will have to be ensured. Hasina said the income of the country’s people is increasing so as the price of commodities. “We’ll have to keep in mind the changing context of the next 20 to 25 years.”
Highlighting the importance of the BCIM Economic Corridor alongside BBIN regional connectivity initiative, Hasina said this Chittagong is an important place for materialising this BCIM initiative for which the project would be helpful.
“The communication network is expanding so as the businesses.
If there’s no strong regional connectivity, then the country’s economy won’t get dynamism and this should be there in our mind,” she added. The Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Railways Ministry to hold an inter-ministerial meeting and keep a provision for rail network with the Express Railway project with the Padma Bridge.
Sheikh Hasina said, whatever be the cost, the best proposal will have to be chosen for the country’s better future, and mentioned that the present foreign currency reserve is over $ 26 billion, which could be moved up further with the project implementation.
About the success of the DEMU train services on Narayanganj route, she said that it now takes only 20 minutes to travel from Dhaka to Narayanganj against 2-4 hours in the past. The Prime Minister suggested the Railways Ministry in taking necessary measures towards introducing DEMU Train services in Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and Bangladesh Agriculture University in Mymensingh in a bid to facilitate communication of those university students.
Hasina also underscored the need for utilising the waterways considering the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal since it is a economic mode of transport. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Qader, Railways Minister Mujibul Haque, Prime Minister’s Advisers HT Imam, Dr Moshiur Rahman, Dr Tawfique-E Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and secretaries concerned were present.
The Road Transport and Highways Secretary in his presentation showed that the feasibility study proposed three alignments for constructing the Dhaka-Chittagong Express Way under a PPP initiative.
The Ministry is favouring alignment one which will go along the existing the Dhaka-Chittagong highway through Dhaka-Daudkandi-Comilla-Feni-Chittagong with a length of 217.5 kilometer involving a cost of $ 3.4 billion.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the authorities concerned so that the construction of the proposed Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway and Dhaka-Chittagong Express Railway projects could ensure long-term benefits for the country’s people.
The Prime Minister gave the directives to Road Transport and Highways Division and the Ministry of Railways while addressing the officials of the two ministries at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Road Transport and Highways Secretary MAN Siddique made a power-point presentation on the proposed Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway PPP project while Railways Ministry Secretary Md Feroz Salah Uddin on the Dhaka-Chittagong Express Railway project. After the formal presentation, the Prime Minister said these two proposed mega projects will have to be implemented considering the long-term benefits of the country and its people.
She said, it is not the amount or the project cost, but the benefits of people that will have to be ensured. Hasina said the income of the country’s people is increasing so as the price of commodities. “We’ll have to keep in mind the changing context of the next 20 to 25 years.”
Highlighting the importance of the BCIM Economic Corridor alongside BBIN regional connectivity initiative, Hasina said this Chittagong is an important place for materialising this BCIM initiative for which the project would be helpful.
“The communication network is expanding so as the businesses.
If there’s no strong regional connectivity, then the country’s economy won’t get dynamism and this should be there in our mind,” she added. The Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Railways Ministry to hold an inter-ministerial meeting and keep a provision for rail network with the Express Railway project with the Padma Bridge.
Sheikh Hasina said, whatever be the cost, the best proposal will have to be chosen for the country’s better future, and mentioned that the present foreign currency reserve is over $ 26 billion, which could be moved up further with the project implementation.
About the success of the DEMU train services on Narayanganj route, she said that it now takes only 20 minutes to travel from Dhaka to Narayanganj against 2-4 hours in the past. The Prime Minister suggested the Railways Ministry in taking necessary measures towards introducing DEMU Train services in Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and Bangladesh Agriculture University in Mymensingh in a bid to facilitate communication of those university students.
Hasina also underscored the need for utilising the waterways considering the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal since it is a economic mode of transport. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Qader, Railways Minister Mujibul Haque, Prime Minister’s Advisers HT Imam, Dr Moshiur Rahman, Dr Tawfique-E Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and secretaries concerned were present.
The Road Transport and Highways Secretary in his presentation showed that the feasibility study proposed three alignments for constructing the Dhaka-Chittagong Express Way under a PPP initiative.
The Ministry is favouring alignment one which will go along the existing the Dhaka-Chittagong highway through Dhaka-Daudkandi-Comilla-Feni-Chittagong with a length of 217.5 kilometer involving a cost of $ 3.4 billion.
